The Rising Red
by Splodge04
Summary: An angsty and slightly AU fic surrounding Adama and Roslin. The President's life is in jeopardy and it's only a matter of time until it's too late. Set during season 2, after Epiphanies and before Sacrifice.
1. Anomalies

-1**"Chapter 1- Anomalies"**

Laura ran her fingers over the cool metal of the bulkhead as she walked absentmindedly down the corridor towards the bathroom. She dawdled idly while her brain creaked with the thoughts that forced their way into her mind. She was tired. The day had been long. At this point in the evening her mind was always fuzzy with the ever pressing tiredness that made it hard for her to think. Tonight was no different. The weeks of sleep deprivation were now beginning to act against her, making it hard to take in information, to stay awake and get all of her work done and most of all, to keep herself alert and fresh faced for her meetings with Bill.

Bill Adama.

A small smile spread across Laura's lips as she opened to door to the bathroom, her mind pictured his rough looking face and she sighed. There were things about this man that never ceased to amaze her and yet she felt as if she had known him for an age. His time-worn features, were to her, friendly and welcoming in so many ways, but to others were hard and strong. She admired him for all of the things that he had accomplished in his life and all of the things she had witnessed him do. All the dramatic decisions that had saved the fleet. In so many ways she was alive because of him- mentally and physically.

Laura had attended a meeting earlier that day in Adama's quarters so that military and government could discuss the fleet's current affairs. As she pondered the events she moved herself infront of the small mirror in the bathroom and slightly traced the darkening bags which seemed to overpower her face. It actually frightened her how she was able to run on a daily basis with hardly any sleep. Although she felt it was her duty to maintain a routine, she knew that she was coming to a halt. It seemed her body couldn't take anymore and she knew that it wasn't just her that seemed to be noticing. She smiled briefly as she remembered the caring expression Bill Adama had given her earlier that day. Her mind drifted back to the days events.

The meeting began at 0500 hours, and Laura arrived in good time, not having slept well the night before. When she stepped out of the Raptor she was greeted by Colonel Tigh who escorted her to Bill's quarters where all of the other faces were waiting. She was early, but it always surprised her how punctual everybody else seemed to be. After greeting everyone she casually took her seat and picked up the paper that was lying on the table next to her and skimmed its contents. Although Laura strived to always keep herself fully involved with every aspect of the fleet, it was hard, and with her current situation it was even more difficult. She tried her hardest to keep herself in full control of her concentration so as to keep on top of the agenda. Her self-control had wavered at almost a quarter of the way through whilst Adama had been talking about the fuel situation across the fleet. Laura felt her eyes grow heavy and her head fill with cotton wool as she drifted off into a sleep deprived haze. She wasn't quite sure if she was asleep or just day dreaming but she heard the cold voice of Colonel Tigh swearing about something she hadn't heard. Her eyes snapped open, refocusing on the beige piece of paper at her side. She mentally scolded herself when she realised that she had in fact fallen asleep, her eyes heavy from the brief spell of half-hearted slumber. Sleep was calling on her in such an aggressive fashion that she suddenly became aware that she might not make it through the whole meeting. It was things like this which made her angry with herself. She wanted to do the best she could to keep the fleet in a safe state and she felt as if she was letting the whole human race down. She had to keep herself awake.

When she raised her glance back to the surrounding men she fell into the eyes of the man sitting opposite her. Bill was looking at her, his brow wrinkled with curiosity and his eyes sparkling under the dim light of his quarters. His eyes were questioning her, probing her features and taking in her posture, expression and general state. She could see that he had noticed her brief doze and she felt a little heat as her cheeks filled with blood.

"Well I think that those frakking cylon worshippers should give it a rest!" Colonel Tigh yelled, breaking Bill's gaze from Laura's face. "I can't believe after all the frakking mess we have been through, they haven't realised that they aren't cuddly fluffy animals. They are murdering toasters out to destroy the human race." He made a face, his eyes narrowing and his tense posture signalling his rising temper.

"Calm yourself down, Tigh," Bill said sternly, watching his long-time friend let out a harsh puff of air, pulling himself back into a calm state. "It is a cause for concern, I agree. I think we should watch them for now."

"Watch them? Why the frak would we want to do that? They took out two officers who were down on that ship for a routine inspection. Both of them were nearly killed." Tigh paused, his eyes growing hard and cold. "It is getting out of hand, Bill, you have to see that. We can't let them continue bashing the military and endangering the human race. Next time, it could be worse."

Bill returned his gaze to Laura, his eyes questioning and thoughtful. "Madam President, what do you suggest?"

Laura sat herself upright and fiddled with the piece of paper in front of her. She had missed the whole topic of conversation, only taking note of the comments that had erupted from Tigh's mouth. She didn't have a clue and she began to feel flustered, bashing herself for not paying more attention and not being able to control the fatigue that was washing over her. Her eyes rested on Bill, watching his curious expression, feeling slightly suspicious that he might be testing her to see how well she was listening. "Well," she hesitated. "I think that it is down to you, Admiral."

Bill didn't say anything for a few moments, watching her as she smiled vacantly at his face.

"Well, if that's the case, we can arrest these Cylon worshippers and put them in the brig and interrogate them for answers."

"I object!" Gaius Baltar had ceased his doodling on the pad of paper infront of him and leaned forward in his chair. "Madam President, I don't think that this is the best option. Surely it would be more adequate for us to merely warn them. Surely what the Admiral is suggesting would cause an uproar across the fleet!" He paused, watching as Laura moved her eyes to his. "These people need to be reasoned with before we do anything of the sort. You've seen what they are capable of, who knows how many others are out there. I myself think that it would be wise, Madam President, if we perhaps have a meeting with them."

Laura took her glasses off and pondered Baltar's remarks, suddenly curious by his participation. He usually kept himself quiet, not saying anything unless the topic was science related. She dismissed this thought and continued to think about this new threat. These people had, in fact, caused a threat to the fleet. It only made sense to punish them which would ultimately spread a message around that such behaviour would not be tolerated. But, on the other hand, they were a movement that was causing a lot of immediate destruction on various ships in the fleet. These Cylon followers had even tried to wreak havoc upon Galactica in an attempt to break the Cylon, Sharon Valerie, out of her cell, Because of this, simply talking to them seemed much more political and equally wise.

"Madam President, I really do think that something should be done about it, but violence and other…military ideas should be more of a last resort. They did request a meeting with you too, if you remember. They sent you a letter a week ago asking for a meeting. They outlined that their behaviour was mainly due to not being heard. I think…"

"Letter?" Laura mumbled, rubbing her eyes as she sat forward and started intently at Baltar.

"Yes, Madam President. Do you not remember?"

Laura drifted to the previous week, her mind sifting through all the letters she had received and how many telegrams and notes had been passed onto her by Billy. The week before had been one of her worst for sleepless nights and she was pretty sure that it was playing tricks on her memory. The sleep deprived cotton wool that was filling the inside of her mind was preventing her from remembering any such letter.

"I'm sorry, Dr Baltar, I don't remember any letter," she paused her eyes avoiding the pressing look of the Admiral.

"I was there when you read it, Madam President…"

"I don't remember," she said strongly, her voice raising a few decibels, making Baltar shrink back slightly.

"My apologies, maybe I was mistaken."

"Dr Baltar, I'm inclined to agree with you on this occasion, maybe it would be more beneficial if we had a word with these people. I think that if it were a joint government and military meeting then all areas would be covered. Warnings will be made and ideas will be heard," Bill said as he picked up one of the leaflets that the movement had been spreading around.

"I don't frakking think so! These sons of bitches have been causing us so much hassle. Security has had to be tightened three-fold on that Cylon's cell. No, Bill, I think they should be put in the brig and left to rot. Cylon worshippers, what a load of…"

"That's enough of that, Saul. Now, I think that the meeting should be set for two days from now. The President and I, along with a few others, will be present at the meeting. We will get this sorted. We can't have anymore people jeopardising this fleet. Now, I think that's everything isn't it?" The room filled with a small murmur and there was some shuffling of papers before Colonel Tigh stood up.

"Well, I better go make sure that things are ok down at the Cylon's cell. Who knows if those stupid Cylon worshipers have attempted to break her out again." Tigh walked quickly out of the room, his hand at his hip-flask in a flash, taking a drink as he exited the room.

"Yes, well, I have something to do in the lab. If you would excuse me, Madam President…Admiral Adama."

Laura watched as Baltar wrapped his hand around something invisible and her face tensed, wondering if she had seen that or if her mind was playing tricks on her. After a few moments she saw movement out of the corner of her eye, a dark coloured object seating itself in the chair next to her, she raised her head and looked to her left, a pair of blue eyes watching her.

"Is everything ok, Madam President?"

"Yes, everything is ok, thank you, Admiral," Laura said, watching as Bill eyed her suspiciously. She smiled weakly before picking up the piece of paper and placing it in her folder as she always did.

"Laura, I don't mean to pry but you don't seem yourself. Is something going on that I should know about?" Bill's voice was unusually light and although Laura wasn't looking at him she could tell that his expression was mild and caring, how it always was when she had needed him to talk to. During and after her cancer he had been a great source of comfort to her, always watching out for her and listening to whatever she had to say. It wasn't common knowledge that Bill was as close to her as he was, she had always thought it a good idea to keep that quiet. Apart from Billy, there were few who knew what went on between them. They were a solace to each other even though Bill was usually the listener. Not much got passed his strong façade but Laura knew him as well as anyone, if not more. She knew what he was feeling even if he didn't. It was all down to how she read people, and although he was a pretty emotionally enclosed man, she pretty much always knew how he felt and always knew when he needed comfort.

"Laura?" he pressed again.

She was trying hard not to let on that anything was wrong. After all it was only lack of sleep that was troubling her, nothing else. She didn't want to seem as if she was losing herself, she didn't want to let anyone think that she was losing control. She was strong. The human race depended on her and her decisions.

The human race.

Those three words hit her hard in the chest as she realised that she was doing more damage by pretending that everything was ok. It may only be sleep deprivation but it could cost her and the people she was trying to protect. She sighed and placed her briefcase on the floor, putting her head in her hands as she resisted the urge to curl up in a ball and sleep.

"Are you ok?" Bill said again, rising to his feet and walking over to her bent over body, resting his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm just tired, Bill. Just tired," she sighed, rubbing her temples and leaning back into her chair, her whole body limp with exhaustion.

"It's not hard to miss that. You fell asleep earlier, didn't you?"

"Yes, and frankly I'm appalled at that fact."

"How have you been sleeping recently?"

The corners of her eyes stung as she tried to concentrate on his face and how the skin folded in various places. The way that his glasses sat on his nose. It seemed to be a rather repetitive question of his recently. She had mentioned a little over two weeks ago that she was having trouble sleeping and since then he had inquired on that topic of conversation often. It was more of a frequent line now then it had ever been. It must be so obvious that she was restless. She knew that it was her stubbornness that initially prevented her from sleeping well. She always liked to be on top of her work, making sure things were running smoothly and efficiently. She had to make sure that everything was in order. She felt that this duty was more important then her getting some sleep. The fleet depended on her being thorough and strong so that they could make it to Earth. Nights she had spent at her desk working on outlines for fleet plans and various other paperwork. Now, after so many weeks it had seemed to have taken its toll. That was her theory anyway. Sleep came in small intervals- if at all sometimes. There was also a dark feeling of foreboding she experienced ever since her dream involving the Cylon Leoben. All of this had fallen into place simultaneously, weighing heavily on her mind and forbidding her to sleep .

Laura stiffened and collected her thoughts, remembering his question."Not well."

"When was the last time you have had a decent nights rest, Laura?"

"Weeks ago. I barely sleep two hours a night if I sleep at all. I feel my body working against me now. I'm tired enough to sleep for a solid day but no matter how tired I am I wake up after about an hour or so, feeling worse than I did before. Even now, my eyes are heavy and I know that if I lie down I won't sleep long but then I won't be able to sleep later."

"Have you spoken to Doc' Cottle?"

"No, he's busy enough without me to add to his worries as well."

"I think that you should, he might be able to help you, He-"

"Bill, stop, please. You know as well as I that he is bogged down with a lot of work, especially after all that's been going on. It's just a little lack of sleep. I'll be ok." Laura had considered seeing the Doctor only two days ago but, after seeing how busy he was, she had abandoned the idea, not wanting to make things any harder for him.

"I think you should go back to your ship and see if you can get some more rest."

"No, the raptor isn't due to leave for another few hours yet, the meeting finished early." Laura rubbed her temples again as she began to feel the dull throbbing sensation of a painful headache that was on its way. It was pretty usual for her to get headaches after not getting as much sleep as she should, and she knew it was going to hit hard by the way it pulsed behind her eyes and at her temples.

"I'll get one sent out now for you. I think you really need to get some rest. You look pale and it's obvious that it is catching up on you. Lack of sleep does funny things to people. You remember what happened during the first week, the way people got." Bill swiftly moved over to his phone and Laura watched as he mumbled into the receiver, not wanting to argue, her headache beginning to make her whole head hurt. Although the lights were dim in this room, her eyes were beginning to complain at its presence so she closed her eyes and continued the pressure on her temples. The overwhelming force of the tiredness crept up on her again, and the sudden darkness that her eyelids had created began to enhance the sleepy state that she was already in. Sleep wanted to come and she was fighting it as hard as she could, the pain in her head making it quite easy.

"Laura, I have a raptor ready for you now, if you want to go."

Laura heard the faint buzz of the phone again and the shuffling of his feet as he moved back towards it, another few mumbles and then he was in the seat next to her.

"That was a message from Billy. He said that there are a group of people on Colonial One that have come to see you. Tom Zarek is with them, requesting to speak to you. Did you arrange a meeting with him?"

"Frak," she cursed, opening her eyes slowly. "I knew there was something else I needed to do this morning. I forgot to tell Billy to cancel for me" She sat herself up and picked up her bag, taking a quick look inside before closing it swiftly and standing up, ready to leave. "I think I better go then," she said quietly, not feeling completely confident with herself as she stood. She moved her eyes down to Bill who had seemed to notice how unsteady she was on her feet. His hand was on her wrist before she even had chance to blink, taking her briefcase out of her hand and placing it on the floor.

"I think that you should rest. You're in no fit state to be talking to a group of people, let alone Tom Zarek. I'll let Billy know you won't be able to make it and I'll cancel your raptor."

"No, I'll be fine, Bill. You don't have to do any of that."

"I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. You are going to stay here and rest, it's an order."

A faint smile worked its way across her face and a small laugh erupted from her mouth. It didn't happen very often but Laura decided that she couldn't argue, she had to try and rest, it was getting ridiculous how tired she was and how frequent she was getting these headaches. Even if it were an hour it would do her some good, and maybe tonight she could get another. What she wouldn't give for a decent nights sleep. A small sigh escaped her mouth and Bill took that as resignation and sat her down on the chair before going back over to the phone.

As Laura listened to him mumble again, giving his orders and messages she closed her eyes, ready to let sleep take her away, even if only for a brief time. She was thankful sometimes at the way Bill seemed to look out for her, how he cared for her and how he managed to be there. She remembered when she was not at her best, the cancer taking hold of her, the way he had looked into her eyes and kissed her gently. She didn't know what to make of it, and until now, she was sure it was just a friendly peck. Bill's feelings towards her were the only part of him that she was unable to read. She was just thankful for his presence. The haze crept up on her once more, even the dull pain of her headache was not going to help her much anymore. It didn't help that Bill's room was warm and that brought with it another factor to help her sleep. She felt comfortable and safe here. She was pretty sure that in any other room on the great Battlestar this feeling of ease wouldn't be so strong.

"My rack is pretty comfortable you know," Bill said quietly.

"Hmm?" Laura mumbled in return, not feeling completely coherent as she dozed lightly on his chair. But before she had even tried to decipher much of what he said, he had pulled her to her feet and had helped her to his rack and gently tucked her between the sheets. Nothing more was said, and the whole room was quiet. She slept for a solid three hours.

Laura opened her eyes slowly wishing that she could curl up and sleep for another few hours at least. Her eyes were burning as she looked around, realising slowly that she wasn't in a completely familiar bed. She sat up and smoother her hair, looking around at the empty space that was Adama's quarters. It was obvious what had happened, and although annoyed at the current time, she was deeply thankful for Bill's decision in letting her rest here. Even though she was still ridiculously tired, it felt as if a small amount of the weight had been lifted from her mind, making her feel slightly fresher.

"How are you feeling," came the husky voice of Bill who had just appeared from behind a bulkhead, a book in his hand and a quizzical look on his face. At first his eyes didn't look to her, still engrossed in whatever he was reading. But, when he had finished his line, Laura could see the way his eyes watched her, the deep blue telling her that he was worried. The way that his brow scrunched together and his eyes were wide as he waited for her reply.

"Better, thank you," she said, consciously trying to flatten her hair again. It annoyed her greatly when her hair refused to flatten on one side after sleeping. She also didn't want to look too scruffy when she had to leave this room. People would talk.

"You have a bit more colour to your face, I see. Still feeling tired?"

"Yes, but I do feel better. It's a wonder what three hours sleep can do to you."

"Yes, well, I was a little worried that you were going to wake up. You moved around a lot, you seemed very restless."

Laura nodded, knowing exactly what he meant. Billy had pointed out to her not too long ago that recently she had been very restless when she did sleep, as if always on the brink of waking up. He had been able to hear her through the curtain of her room. She wasn't sure if it was due to bad dreams or just a general feeling of restlessness. If she did dream, she had no recollection of them whatsoever, which she supposed was a good thing. She didn't need anything else keeping her awake. Then the image of Bill, sitting by her side and watching her sleep, noticing how restless she was came into her mind. "You stayed the whole time?"

Bill smiled and nodded his head. "I had to keep an eye on you."

Laura blushed slightly before grinning. "Well, I think that maybe you helped me sleep."

"How so?" He moved to the chair that was situated next to the bed.

"Oh, I don't know, Bill," she sighed. "I just feel so much safer here. Your quarters…I don't know what it is, but I feel at ease here. It's comfortable." Laura avoided his gaze and straightened her clothes, not feeling happy that she had slept in them.

"Well, you are more then welcome to drop by anytime, Laura. If it helps you get some rest then my rack is yours." His face wrinkled as he grinned that slightly goofy smile that she loved. He didn't do it as often as she had liked, but when it did come, it always made her smile in return, no matter how bad she was feeling.

Laura placed her hand on his arm and shook her head. "Bill, I can't use your bed again. I couldn't put you out like that. And anyway, people would talk."

Bill's face scrunched up slightly, contemplating her words. "Let them talk, Laura. Words, that's all they are. Meaningless speculation. Something to keep the people's idle brains busy. Seriously though, if it means that you get some rest and start feeling better then I don't care. You are a very important person to the fleet and the more this continues the more likely you are going to do something drastic like make a mistake. A costly mistake."

Laura nodded her head. She knew he was right and although she had thought it herself earlier she was glad that it wasn't just her that knew what was at stake. It took her a while to concoct an answer or at least a small retaliation but she couldn't, her mind drawing a blank, another downfall of being so tired. Instead she nodded her head weakly and diverted her attention to the book that he had placed down on the table nearest to them. "What was that you were reading?"

At first he didn't reply, intent on making her see that what he had suggested was what he thought was right. He also didn't want her to think that her random comment was going to throw him off course. "Parables of the day, one of my favourite books. Do you know it?"

"I know it very well. It's an excellent book, one of the classics."

"Yes, it is…Laura…" he said, pausing to get her attention. "I know what its like not to sleep often, and although you think that it'll pass and sleep will come back to you. It won't, not unless you start getting more and more sleep until your body is accustomed to longer hours of rest again. You will work yourself into a state. Even now, you can see it in your face that you are struggling. How many more times do you want to fall asleep in meetings and conferences? The people need their president, Laura."

A long sigh erupted from Laura's mouth. She knew that she hadn't evaded his previous statement as well as she thought she had. It was all true, of course, but she was feeling a little stubborn, not particularly wanting to agree with him. Giving in was always a sign of weakness to her, but in this case she couldn't argue. He was right. "Yes, I know, Bill. I know."

"So, do you want me to get a raptor to pick you up from your ship later?"

"Let me see how I feel. I might even be able to sleep a bit more. Your rack has enabled me to sleep longer then I have had in weeks. I am really going to consider your offer, but I want to see how I feel later on."

Bill seemed content with her answer and nodded his head. "Ok, I can get a raptor to take you back to your ship now, if you want. I'm sure Billy is getting a little restless with your absence."

Laura nodded. "Thank you, Bill."

"I'm only getting you a raptor-"

"No, I mean for this. Letting me stay here, making sure I'm ok. You don't know how much that means to me." She was truly appreciative of his actions. He had helped her see the light of the truths that she was ignoring. He had come to her rescue yet again. She stood and moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around his torso, showing her appreciation through a warm hug, something she didn't get to do often.

Bill pulled away after a few moments, the edges of his lips sitting in an awkward grin. "I'll get you your raptor."

Laura nodded and put her shoes on, suddenly becoming aware that he had even taken them off while getting her into bed. It gave her a warm feeling inside. She felt so much lighter and at ease now. She was sure that it wouldn't last long, but was happy that it had arrived, no matter how small. "I'll make my way down to the hangar," she said, walking towards the door, picking up her briefcase as she did. She saw the smile on this face and watched as he nodded his head towards her as a sign of goodbye, his mouth talking down the receiver, his deep blue eyes locked onto her face, giving her a last glance before she closed the door behind her.

"Madam President?" came the voice of Billy, snapping her back to the present. She wasn't sure how long she had been in the bathroom, but she was sure that it must have been a long time, otherwise Billy wouldn't be checking on her.

"I'm ok, Billy," she mumbled, washing cool water over her face in an attempt to wake her up a little more.

"Madam President, Admiral Adama is on the phone for you. He says it's urgent."

"Oh, I see," Laura said to herself, a quirky grin set on her face as she wondered why he was phoning her. Well, she supposed she did know, he was checking to see if she was sleeping. Obviously, with Billy coming to get her, she wasn't, and he was going to question her and tell her that his rack was free if she wanted it. Sometimes he was very easy to read. She dried her face and opened the door, the warm air of her cabin hitting her face as she walked back outside. Billy's expression was set with concern as he peered at her face. "Is there anything I can get you, Madam President?"

"No, everything's fine, thank you." She smiled weakly at him and turned towards her desk, the phone lay off the hook, waiting for her to pick it up.

Billy watched as she sat down. When he looked at her face he could see how tired she was. The half smile she had given him and the vacant look that occupied her eyes. It was difficult for him to even think about what she was going through. The light above her made the red tint in her hair glow, highlighting the paleness of her skin and the dark shadows under her eyes. He had to agree with Admiral Adama, something had to be done. Before he had gone to get the President, Adama had told him of his intentions to get Doc' Cottle involved, and Billy had agreed. Her batteries were running on empty.

"Admiral Adama," she said, staring out of the porthole to her right, looking out to the great big Battlestar outside. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Even Billy could see her evasive tactics at work, trying to divert Adama's topic of conversation. She always wanted to appear as strong as possible. He remembered what she went through when she had cancer. The days spent working hard, answering questions and getting things done. It made him think that maybe she had never fully recovered. It had taken a lot out of her to maintain herself and keep the fleet and government on the move whilst battling such a horrid disease. Always selfless and thinking about others. He wondered if she had considered what all this was going to do her. His eyes glanced over her again, the light reflected off of her eyes showing him that she was looking at him politely, a subtle statement that he was excused. He nodded his head and exited, closing the curtain behind him.

"You want to come over to Colonial One? Whatever for?" Laura's eyes were wide as she listened to Bill at the end of the phone.

"There's something I need to do and I need your co-operation. I will be over shortly." Bill's voice was forceful and slightly secretive. He wasn't going to make her aware that Doc' Cottle was standing a mere two feet away from him, cigarette in his mouth, putting things in his medical bag. It was obvious that she wasn't going to get any rest soon and he had asked that Doc' Cottle go with him to Colonial One so as to see to her. Make sure that there wasn't any underlying illness that was preventing her from sleeping. One could never be too cautious.

"Bill," she chided, getting comfortable in her chair. "Is there something you're not telling me?" The way his voice pounded huskily down the phone made her question his intentions. If she was right, he had something up his sleeve, something she wasn't going to like. She waited patiently for his answer.

"I have something I must deliver to you, Madam President…and on another note, have you had any rest at all?"

Laura's jaw tensed as he diverted the conversation, just as she had. "No, I haven't. I tried but sleep didn't come. Bill, seriously, why are you coming over?"

The line was quiet for a few moments. "I wanted to discuss with you the meeting we are going to have with the Cylon worshippers, a day or so from now. I've got a few things you might be interested in."

Laura shook her head, not completely convinced by his explanation. However, when she thought about it, his company might not go amiss at the moment. The hours she spent awake were relatively lonely as she always ordered Billy to go and get some rest, although he protested often, she didn't want him to get bogged down as much as she was. Even if Bill's reason to visit was for a different one, it might do her some good. "OK, Bill. I'll make sure I don't fall asleep before you get here," she joked, mocking her own current situation. They said their goodbyes and the line went dead.

She stared absently for a few more moments, trying to figure out what he was up to. What he was hiding from her. She knew that at times he had to be secretive, but in this case when she was sure that the topic of his secrecy was her, she wanted to be informed. Nothing sprang to mind as she thought about reasons so she decided to busy herself whilst she waited.

The papers infront of her were in a shabby pile, ordered in a completely random way as she hadn't had chance to go through them yet. She moved her hands over the pieces, looking for something to distract herself with until Bill arrived with whatever stunt he was trying to pull. As she sifted through the pages her fingers landed on a bright red flyer, the face of a hand-drawn cylon on its surface, staring intently at her. Her brow scrunched up as she looked down at the menacing look of the character, making her feel slightly uneasy at the prospect of people worshipping these things. The large white writing was distinct against the crimson red background, shouting up to her its message.

"_**Cylon's are not our enemy. To make the war stop we must bow down to them and make them our leaders. They are not the enemy, the government and the military are."**_

Anger seemed to rise in her chest as she re-read the words. They bashed her and Bill, making it out as if it was their fault that the Cylon's were after them. It was ridiculous. Absurd. It made her blood boil. She knew that people had the right to their own opinion, she had always believed that. Sometimes, however, it made her question the mentality of certain figures in the human race. These mechanical enemies had inflicted so much pain and suffering on their remaining numbers. They had killed nearly 100 of the human race in one aggressive bang. All the people she had known, loved and been close to were pretty much gone. Except for a handful of comrades she had now, pretty much her whole past was gone, because of them.

"_When the two leaders fall, we will once again be able to worship what we were meant to worship. On the 28th day of bombardment, the people will understand what we know to be true."_

Strange. She read the paragraph again and again, trying to interpret the words that lay at the bottom of the paper, small and hardly legible. It looked like a quote from a book, but there was no reference. It was very strange indeed.

There was a small muttering of voices coming from close by and she placed the flyer on the desk again, raising her gaze to the entrance to her office area. It took her only a moment to realise that Bill was not on his own. The distinct voice of a certain doctor was coming from close by, muttering something about sleep meds. Laura's jaw was rigid as her eyes narrowed. It upset her that Bill would bring Doc' Cottle with him when she had expressed her wish that he shouldn't be involved. The anger pulsed through her, topping off what was already coursing through her veins from the flyer. When the men walked in, her eyes were hard through her glasses, meeting with the eyes of Bill.

"Madam President," Doc' Cottle said, his bag at his side and his hand in his pocket.

"Doctor Cottle, what a _pleasant_ surprise," Laura said sweetly, looking at Bill with accusing eyes, her mouth set in a thin white line, camouflaging itself against her unusually pale skin. His face was emotionless apart from his eyes, they looked cautious and protective. He had really annoyed her. It was almost like betrayal, but not in such a defined sense. She had spoken to Bill regarding her current state of affairs in confidence. She hadn't wanted to see the Doctor. There wasn't anything drastically wrong with her. It was a puzzle why he couldn't just stick to her wishes like she always did for him. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair and she could see the doctor shuffle around nearby, but her eyes stayed sharply on Bill, not breaking eye contact with him as he watched her.

Bill could see the small shimmer of contempt in here eyes, shining out at him like the eye of a cylon. He knew she wouldn't be pleased but he had to risk her being upset with him just so he knew that she was going to be ok. He had good intentions as always. Even though it hadn't been long since the morning he could see that her eyes were red and framed with dark shadows, an obvious result of her plagued insomnia. Her usually well kempt hair was limp at the side of her face, having been pretty much neglected for most of the day, adding to her generally off demeanour. It wasn't what he was used to seeing, not that it made any difference, she was still the same beautiful woman. He could see that she was a strength, a beacon of hope to nearly every human on the fleet and it was difficult to watch her go though this downward spiral. She was someone who he had grown very fond of and he didn't like seeing her this way.

"Madam President, I thought it wise to bring Doc' Cottle to see you, as he would be able to help you sleep better."

Laura gritted her teeth and blinked slowly. "You thought it _wise_? How very intriguing, _Admiral_Adama." Her voice was littered with bitterness, biting out at him as he stood before her.

Bill grimaced at the use of his formal title which she only ever used infront of the crew and when she was annoyed at him. The lack of familiarity that was associated with that name was like a low blow to him. The man named Bill was a confidant and friend, the man, Admiral Adama, was a stranger, someone different that she didn't talk to or share feelings with. She must really be pissed.

"I'll need to take a sample of your blood, if that's ok, Madam President," Doc Cottle said distantly, watching the tension get thicker between the two people infront of him.

At first Laura said nothing, keeping her blank expression on the man before her. She was feeling uncharacteristically angry, for many reasons. The main culprit was the lack of sleep, it made her cranky and if someone pushed the right buttons it made her snappy and slightly aggressive. If she had the energy she would have stormed out of the room leaving the two men in her office. They would either follow her and in that case she would get Billy to sort them out, or they would have stayed where they were. Her supply of energy however, was low and she didn't even want to move. Instead, she watched as the doctor fiddled around with his bag, pulling out needles and vials. "I can assure you, Doc', that I am fine. You really don't need to do anything like that."

Cottle looked at Bill and then back to the President. "You're finding it difficult to sleep. Have you been losing your appetite? Has your energy been waning? Have you been finding it difficult to concentrate?"

Laura's jaw tensed again, fighting against her rising anger. So what if she had been feeling all of these? She knew it was down to the being tired, she knew that well enough. If they were worried about her lack of sleep then they could leave her some sleep meds and get off of her ship. In some way it was like a bombardment. They didn't trust her as well as she had thought. As a person, you knew your body well and for people to question your judgement was annoying and frustrating. What did she have to do to make them stop?

"Answer the Doc's question, Laura. He needs to know. There could be an underlying cause for your insomnia." Bill, who hadn't said anything since his cold reception from the president knew he was pushing his luck, he could tell by the way her eyes were narrowed. The way her fingers drummed off of her desk signalled her impatience. He just had to make sure she was ok.

Laura raised her eyebrow at Bill's words, folding her arms across her body as an act of defence. "I'm fine!"

"I'm sure you are. It would be wise just to rule anything else out. If it is just the case of not being able to sleep I can prescribe some meds and it will help you sleep. Please, Madam President, Admiral Adama was right to come to me. Sleep deprivation alone can cause a lot of problems. If it isn't just sleep deprivation then it is important we know what it is. Things are only going to get worse if you ignore them and for someone who has to lead a whole fleet of people…well I'm sure you can understand why I came." Cottle moved himself closer to her chair, needle ready.

Laura nodded her head. She knew that he did have a point, but she was still angry and feeling stubborn. She would rather have done this on her own accord. It was very frustrating and enraging to have people conspire against you just so they can get some blood. Whatever happened to trust? Her arms unfolded and she pushed her right arm out towards the doctor, giving him permission to do whatever he had to do. After a moment, her eyes moved from her arm and into Bill's eyes, both averting their gaze almost instantly. She put her head in her hand and closed her eyes waiting for the impending prick in her arm. A small sigh escaped her lips as she tried to control the anger that was pulsing inside of her. She knew she shouldn't be mad but she couldn't help it. Cylon worshippers and now this. Why couldn't a day go by where nothing major happened.?

"All done. Now, I think I better get going. I'll run this under the 'scope as soon as I get back onboard Galactica. It shouldn't take me too long, I've seen a heck of a lot of blood in my time and the broader tests don't take very long at all anymore," he nodded, filling his bag up and within less than a minute he had left the room, not wanting to be in the line of fire for any longer.

Bill took a seat in front of her desk, keeping his eyes firmly planted on her face. He watched as she touched the plaster on her arm, examining the area that Doc' Cottle had placed the needle, as if she was making sure that was the only thing he had done. Then he watched as she gazed outside of the porthole, her eyes following the raptor that was moving towards Galactica. Blatant ignorance, was the first thought that popped into Bill's head as she began working. She started moving pieces of paper on her desk into three distinct piles. From what it looked like to Bill, it was like a mail system. Junk mail in one pile, important documents in another. The third, he noted, was compiled of leather-bound books, with a bright red piece of paper on top. Astounded by what the ragged old books and a cylon flyer had in common he moved his head closer to see if there was anything distinct about them.

She moved everything from his line of sight.

Bill rolled his eyes, waiting patiently for her to talk to him. She would come around soon enough, so in the meantime he just sat and watched. He could sit for hours if he had to, two could play the stubborn game.

Laura could see him out of the corner of her eyes, gazing at her with a blank expression on his face. It had occurred to her once before that he was waiting for her to talk to him and she had laughed to herself, finding this concept funny. At this point in time she didn't want to say anything to him. She just wanted to be left alone.

"Madam President?" Billy said quietly, popping his head inside the curtain.

Laura raised her head, smiling at Billy as he stared, completely taken aback by the total silence in the room. "Yes, Billy, what is it?"

"I have a message from Tom Zarek. He's requesting a meeting with you tomorrow. He hoped that you would be able to reschedule the meeting you weren't able to make today. What would you like me to tell him?"

"Of course," she said picking up her diary. "Tell him to come over tomorrow at noon, that's when I'm free."

"Yes, M'am," he said politely, looking at Admiral Adama before closing the curtain behind him.

Bill took off of his glasses before resuming his patient watch over the president. The meeting with Tom Zarek was troubling him. For one, he didn't trust the man as far as he could throw him, and for another, with all the current goings on you could never know who to trust. Fair enough he was pretty sure that Zarek of all people was no Cylon worshipper, but people he associated with could be. He was sure that he wouldn't be alone tomorrow for the meeting.

"I'd like to be present at that meeting tomorrow, Madam President." Bill watched her curiously, waiting for her to make some kind of signal that she had heard him.

Nothing.

"I was just thinking, with all the bad things that are going on, that it would be wise if there was a military presence. Just so we know that no harm will come to you."

Again, Nothing.

"Laura, I do think that it is the right decision."

A cold, unfamiliar expression fell over Laura as she looked up from her paperwork. "_You _think? Well, I haven't heard that one before. At this present moment in time I don't particularly care what you think. It's obvious that you seem to disregard my decisions and what I want to do. You have made that perfectly clear." Her voice was sharp and venomous and it knocked Bill back slightly. In the time had he known her had he never heard such a vicious tone behind her words. It was unnerving, even to him.

Anger cursed through her veins like a poison, putting her on a slight edge as she again began diverting her attention to other things on her desk. She felt strange. Strange in a sense she didn't fully know what she was doing. When thinking about what Bill had done, her heart would thump harder in her chest and make her have to bite her tongue. Boy how she wanted to shout at him. She wanted to make him understand what she was feeling. The anger she wanted to expel towards him was strong. At the same time, this anger didn't make any sense to her. Not being familiar with the combined feeling of deep fatigue and a bubbling anger. It seemed to twine together and turn her into something horrible. Being mad at Bill was a hard feat in itself, but she was taking a small situation to the next level.

"Laura, I'm sorry that I got Doc' Cottle involved. I was, and still am, worried about you. I'm not the only one. Billy is frantic with worry. He says that you're not yourself, even with the tiredness…I thought I was doing you a favour."

"A favour? You call, going behind my back and going against my wishes, a favour? Bill, I think you're on a totally different page in the scrolls of life."

"Are we both wrong? Are you perfectly ok? No, Laura, you're not. I was not going to sit by and watch you get worse while your stubbornness got the best of you. You don't know what it could be that's stopping you sleeping. It could be a number of things….It could be cancer." Bill inched himself and the chair closer towards her, his face soft and worried. It was one of those things that plagued him when he thought there was something wrong with her. It could come back at anytime and it worried him that she would get ill again. It made him angry and annoyed that he might lose her.

Laura stopped and sat down, bringing her fingers up to her mouth. "It's not cancer."

"How do you know? How do you know for sure?"

"I don't think you realise what it was like when I had it. I felt it there. I knew it was eating me up inside, sucking the life our of me like a leech. I don't feel that way at all. I just feel…distant. I feel different within myself, but not in the same sense as what I felt before. It's all down to not getting enough rest. It started as a persistence within myself to always stay on top of things, to make sure I got it all right. Being dropped into a role like this was and is no easy ride. You of all people should know the stresses of leadership, having a whole civilisation relying on your decisions. I'm putting it down to pressure and stress. That's all it is. It will pass. It has to pass." Her sigh was one of frustration and she lowered her head in her hands. "I know you meant well, and I'm sorry I reacted in such a way, but, Bill, trust is important to me. I trusted you. I trusted you to do as I had wished."

An intense silence washed over the cabin as the pair of them wrapped themselves up in thought. Laura was contemplating how little a grasp she had on herself at that present moment in time, hoping that it would pass before she started crying. First anger and now sadness. It was absurd how many feelings were circling in her head.

Bill was thinking about his actions. Although he stood firmly by the idea of bringing Cottle aboard, he thought that maybe he could have gone about it in a better way. She was obviously very fragile, more so then he had first anticipated. Maybe he could have made things easier for her. It was apparent that if it wasn't an underlying illness, the erratic sleep patterns were down to stress. Maybe he could have helped her though that.

"I know you're upset with me, but I'd like you to hear me out," Bill waited for her to lift her head up from her hands before continuing. "You are a very important person in this fleet, to the people and to me. It is a priority that you stay in full health in body and in mind. I know that it is hard doing what we do. I know that sometimes it feels like the whole world is against you, but you have to stay on top of this. At least now, after Cottle has analysed your blood, we'll know what it is and we will sort this out. I know you're angry and I suppose that you have a right to be, but see it from my side, ok? See it from Billy's side. We worry about you. A few weeks ago, what would you have said if you had found out you were falling asleep in meetings? What would you have said if you weren't being fully prepared to take on the day? I know what you would have done, Laura, you would have gone mad. I'm sure you are annoyed with yourself, but at the same time can't you see that it could be your body telling you to stop? You have been through a lot these past few months, more than a lot of people in this fleet and you have to slow down."

A small tear flowed down Laura's cheek as she nodded her head. It seemed her emotions had made another uncharacteristic turn. "Oh, I'm all over the place aren't I?"

Bill pulled a tissue from a box that was sitting on the edge of her desk and handed it to her, watching as she wiped at her eyes. "We're going to take each day at a time. Sleep and rest is your number one priority at the moment, I can handle the fleet, you know that."

"We?"

"Of course."

The curtain moved and Bill looked over his shoulder, the face of Billy meeting his gaze. Billy would make a terrible poker player as his eyes always spoke what he was thinking, so it was obvious that something was bothering him as he entered the office.

"There's a call from the Galactica. Doc' Cottle wishes to speak to you, Madam President."

Laura's brow rose and she nodded her head, her stomach twisting into a tight knot as she thought about what he could want to say to her. It had been a little over half an hour since he had left. So either it was good news, or something wasn't right. Either way, it made her nervous. "Yes, I'll take the call in here, Billy, thank you." She didn't even bother dismissing him, sensing that he wanted to stay.

Bill watched as she reached out to the receiver that was nearby, her hands not completely steady as her slender fingers hooked around it. As she pulled it to her ear, she glanced at him, her nerves washing over him like a bad smell.

"Doc Cottle."

She listened intently and at first Bill found it difficult to interpret her facial expression. It remained rather blank, staring hard at the bulkhead behind him. Then, suddenly, her eyes dropped to her lap and he saw her pull her bottom lip in. "Anomalies?" she whispered, her voice shaking even under the light force of her voice. "Yes, yes of course." Her hand groped the secure surface of the desk, her knuckles turning white as she exerted pressure against them. Then, she handed the receiver to Bill, standing up and turning her body away from Bill and Billy.

Anomalies.

Anomalies could mean anything, she thought to herself as she bit back the tears that were welling in her eyes. It could be anything. Thoughts swam around in here mind, attacking her self-control. She rested herself against the bulkhead, letting the combination of the tiredness, worry and annoyance crash upon her. That single tear which trickled down her face was not her last.

Feedback is always appreciated!


	2. An Uncertain Connection

-1**"Chapter 2- An uncertain connection"**

Laura placed her hands on either side of the sink, resting her weight on its cool surface as she contemplated her situation. Inside, she felt her stomach churn as she realised that maybe Bill was right, it could be cancer. It was like a bad dream. These past few weeks had been horrendous and she didn't have any idea which direction she was going in anymore. How could she? One minute she would see a glimmer of hope, like her small rest in Bill's quarters, and then she would be hurled head first into a dark corner, everything shattering around her. It was difficult to reason with herself as she thought about the consequences of Doc' Cottles findings. Uncertainty washed over her like a veil, smothering everything else that was screaming inside of her.

Anomalies?

She breathed a long and deep breath, trying to shift aside the cloud of worry that had crept over her. If she thought logically then maybe it wouldn't seem as if her future was so damned. The definition of anomalies, to her, was something different, something not quite right. It could mean anything. It might not be that the disease which had plagued her for so long was back, threatening to drag her back into a state she never wanted to go back to.

Another tear rolled down her face, dripping slowly into the sink. The small sound resonated around her like a bang. It felt like before, when her life hung in the balance. Every sound, every thought and smell mattered to her so much more. Even now, after going through what she had been through, she knew that she had slipped back into a state of mind that made her question whether she had been living life as she had wanted to, given the circumstances.

A deep husky voice was mumbling in the distance, its tone was aggravated and she knew that Bill was trying to get something out of Cottle. When she had handed him the receiver, her back turned to him as she felt her self-control break apart, his voice had sounded pained as he had begun talking to the man at the other end. When the tears ran freely down her face she had to get out of there, not wanting either of the two men outside to see her crumble, her self composed shield no longer visible amongst the sea of salty tears. As she had turned to get herself out she had caught sight of Bill's face. His eyes, the windows to his mind and soul were wide with a deep worry that penetrated into her, bouncing off of her insides, ricocheting around until it lodged right into her heart. In that one brief moment, she had wanted to comfort him. In no way had she ever wanted anyone else to get hurt because of her actions. If it was bad, it would be her fault. If she hadn't neglected the chance to see the doctor before then maybe it wouldn't feel like everything was falling away from her. Maybe she wouldn't be hurting other people in the process.

"Madam President," Billy mumbled quietly, his voice was anxious as he spoke through the door to her. "Doc' Cottle said it would be wise if you went over to Galactica."

Laura wiped at her eyes, trying to stop the tears from falling. Every tear that made its way down her cheek was making her feel more and more angry with herself. One of her hands moved up to her chest as if holding her heart. She had to pull herself together so she could show them that she was strong. Being weak was something she always thought was silly. The room seemed to rise in temperature as she thought about going to Galactica. How long would it take to find out what these anomalies were? How long would it take to come to the decision that maybe she was going to die? What if it was something really bad? Something quick? These thoughts kept bouncing around, her cheeks getting more and more flushed. The grip that she had on the sink increased as the mirror swam infront of her eyes. She was really losing it. As she leaned forward to rest her head onto the sink she head Billy mumble something in another direction and then there was another knock on the door.

"Laura, is everything ok?" Bill sounded slightly alarmed.

She breathed a few deep breaths and stood up tall. "I'm fine," her voice croaked, making her cough lightly. "I'll be out in a moment."

Red blotches stained her cheeks from the crying and she tried frantically to hide them. With a damp tissue she wiped her face, trying to remove the small black smudge that had made its way down her face like the trail of a snail. It wasn't going to budge without a fight and although she thought that she could stay in the bathroom forever, Bill and Billy would probably try and break in. Her hands subconsciously made their way down her body, straightening out her clothes as she eyed herself in the mirror. It was certainly a good thing she didn't have anything else to attend to today.

Bill watched as Laura appeared from the bathroom, her cheeks and eyes red and her face blank. The only inclination that he had that she had been crying was the way her eyes glinted in the light from the tears which still swam there. In a way, he admired how strong she managed to be, but at the same time he hated that she had to appear strong. It was an odd combination, but sometimes he just wanted her to let out everything that he knew was pent up inside of her like a caged animal. Maybe it would make her feel better and release her worries, anger, fear and frustrations.

"We're leaving as soon as we can, Madam President," Billy said softly, moving his hand to her arm which was fixed at her side.

Laura nodded and her slender hand moved to Billy's, resting it there lightly. When her gaze met his she smiled awkwardly and nodded her head, her eyes filling with more tears. "Yes, of course. Thank you, Billy." She was so very thankful for Billy's presence, his young and innocent eyes were always so clear. He was like family to her, and she sometimes wondered what she would do without him. It wasn't just all the things he did for her, it was the underlying understanding that he had with her. They needed no words.

Laura, without saying anything, moved back over to her desk and sat down, her hand clutching at her chest again as if it was a subconscious lock which was keeping the tears in. "I'll just need to grab some things and then we can get going."

"Already done, M'am," Billy held up her small duffle bag and placed it back on the chair to his right.

Laura smiled again lightly. "You're too good to me, Billy."

Billy didn't say anything, he just looked awkwardly to the Admiral who was standing now, close to Laura's side, as if subconsciously trying to protect her. A shield, guarding her from anymore hassles or pain. "Well, when you're ready, we should go." Bill paused and held out his arm for her. "I also think that you should stay on Galactica, Laura."

Laura looked up to his arm and stood up under her own power. "I don't want to put anyone out. I'm very happy to stay here, travelling back and forth. Depending on the result of course."

Bill saw her eyes divert and he put his hand on hers when it wrapped tightly around his arm. "I won't take no for an answer, Laura. You're staying on Galactica."

Laura felt relieved and argued no more. It would make her feel so much better to know that he was going to be close by.

-------------

Laura took Bill's arm again as they walked silently down the hallway towards his quarters. On the way over the ride had been tense. She had noticed on many occasions the sly looks of curiosity and worry from the two men which were now seated on either side of her. She appreciated their worry but she didn't like being the brunt of it. It was never her choice to have either of them worry over her and it pained her when she thought that they could be hurting too.

"Bill," she whispered, moving her head so that it was almost resting on his shoulder. "Are my new quarters near yours?"

"Yes, I made sure that the room next door was vacant." He smiled keeping his gaze facing forward.

Laura, at first thought that maybe he was going to let her stay in his room, as suggested, but

now, with her current situation it may be wise to simply put her nearby. Maybe there were other reasons, like crew speculation. Either way, she was happy to be nearby, just a room away at all times.

Bill pulled her around the corner and they walked past the familiar entrance to his room,

within the space of a few more steps they had arrived at Laura's new residence. He turned the lock and pulled it open, letting Billy walk in first, followed by Laura, and himself behind her. "I hope it's ok."

Laura eyed the rack at the back, its light blue sheets were silky and pillows were sprawled across its surface. It looked comfortable. Someone had gone to a lot of effort to make the rack as Laura friendly as possible. The room was furnished with a few things she thought wouldn't usually be present in a guest's room onboard the Galactica. It seemed that there was a small bookshelf situated at the back right by the bed. It looked similar to something that Bill had in his room. She smiled lightly and nodded. "You didn't have to do this for me."

Bill took his glasses off and wiped them gently whilst gazing over at the bed himself, admiring the handy work. "Well, it wasn't me, it was Kara. I asked her if she could make it a little more comfortable for you. I think she has succeeded, no?"

Laura nodded again and placed her bag onto the chair nearest to her. "Yes, she did a wonderful job, and in such a short space of time too." She rested her hand on top of the cool leather surface of the chair, contemplating whether she wanted to go straight to the infirmary or just stay here and think things over. It was hard. Deep down she knew that she had to go now to find out what was going on, but she was filled with a deep dread for the impending outcome.

Bill, who had finished cleaning his glasses watched Laura carefully. As he watched her he noted the way she rocked on her feet and how her grip was hard on the chair. She was thinking. It was always fascinating to watch the way that Laura Roslin's features changed when she was contemplating thoughts. The way her eyes glazed over as if blocking out everything around her. At present, her mouth was set in a small grimace and he figured out what she must be thinking. What he knew she was thinking about. Although he thought she was doing a good job a deflecting how she was feeling about her news, he knew her too well. It was eating her up. It was bad enough that she had been through something similar before, and now she was in a similar boat. This boat, however, was a boat with an undefined course. Going to see Doc' Cottle was the only way to determine her course. His fingers rested on her arm, breaking her gaze. Her eyes rested upon his, a moisture shimmering in her eyes. She blinked, the tears slowly disappearing. The wall in which she was so used to using back at full strength.

"Ah," she said, pulling her glasses off of her face. At first she tried to smile, but her mouth wouldn't stay there. It was a familiar routine that she often used. Her brow scrunched up and she rubbed her eyes gently. "Well, I think it's time we went to the infirmary," she said with a slightly shaky voice.

"Laura-"

"I think now is the best time," she said quickly, cutting him off.

Bill just nodded his head, his statement of comfort blocked by her. "You can settle in later then."

----------------

Gaius heard the murmur of voices behind him as he continued to look down at the slide infront of him. There was something very wrong with what he was seeing, but somehow familiar. A part of him was at the point of giving up but the rest of him was pushing his concentration further in search of the answers that were lying below him.

"Doc' Cottle," Laura said softly as she entered the infirmary, Bill at her side.

"Welcome aboard, Madam President," Cottle said, showing her toward where Baltar was standing. "I'm sorry to have to bring you here like this and under such circumstances."

Laura didn't say anything, instead she just nodded her head before looking nervously towards Baltar who was now scribbling furiously on his note-pad. "Do we know what it is yet?" she said.

"Baltar has a very good theory. We've ruled out cancer and most other illnesses too."

Laura felt her body flood with relief as she heard those words, her knees wobbling underneath her as she put her hand to her mouth. When her body faltered slightly she could feel the pressure of a body behind her and she knew that Bill was standing close, a presence she was thankful for. "So, what do you mean then by anomalies?"

Gaius lifted his gaze from the slide and lifted up his notepad. "Well, Madam President, basically there is a foreign substance in your blood. I've been analysing the structure and I have come to the conclusion that it is man-made." He tore the sheet of paper from the pad and walked towards her. "It's a fairly simple chemical structure at first look but it is wreaking havoc inside of you. I've seen something very similar to this before, many years ago when laboratories started to try and bring out new substances and chemicals to enhance alertness. It was a great success, people were able to stay awake for longer periods of time. It would have been a success at any rate-"

"Would have been?"

"Well, yes, would have been. I'm not sure if it is the exact chemical here as what was used then, but it is acting in a very similar way. It might be in slightly different form. I'm amazed that anything like this even made it off of Caprica." When Gaius raised his eyes to the President he could see the worry and suspicion behind her eyes.

"Well if this is the case I shouldn't have anything to worry about then, do I?"

Cottle and Baltar exchanged glances. "I said that it would have been a success. It seemed that it had drastic effects on many of the users who took it in large doses. What I mean to say is, it had a _fatal_ effect on these users."

Laura's hand covered her mouth and she swallowed hard, looking at the men around her. "There would be something to counteract this though?"

Gaius nodded his head. "The thing is, Madam President, we don't know how this got into your system. It seems that this version of the drug develops over time, increasing its own strength. We don't think we have anything here that will counteract this particular drug. We need to know how this got into your system and who has done it. I'm sure whoever it was will have the antidote."

Bill stepped forward his face hard and alert. "You mean that someone has done this to the President? Someone is trying to kill her?"

"That is exactly what I am saying, Admiral Adama."

Laura backed up and sat herself down in the stool that was a mere foot away. Although there was a small inkling of relief inside about the idea of not having cancer, there was also a deep feeling of nausea. Someone was doing this to her. Someone was trying to kill her. Had she really been doing such a bad job? It didn't make any sense at all. How had they done it? "Do you know how long I have? I mean, if you can't get the antidote for it?"

"We will find it." Bill said, his grip firm on the counter.

Doc Cottle cleared his throat before looking at the president with a deep sympathetic face. "Well, we think around two weeks on the outside."

"Yes, around that, but Madam President, you have my word that we are going to do everything possible to make sure that you don't-"

"I know you will, and for that I am very thankful." Laura's eyes were cold, and Bill watched her completely convinced that very little was actually holding her together at that moment. If it wasn't for her strength and strong will, she would probably be crying her eyes out by now. "I need to know how bad this is going to effect me in the up and coming weeks. How bad is this going to get?"

"Well," Gaius said nervously. "From what I remember, the chemical will keep you awake for long periods of time, your body weakening from the lack of rest. If it goes in the same direction as before, taking into account the fact that it increases in strength, you will then start feeling sick, you'll find even the most simple tasks difficult." His eyes were round and full of regret. The words that were flowing from his mouth were difficult for anyone to hear. "Hallucinations, maybe some hysteria and then, when it gets too much for your body to cope with, you'll-"

"Yes, I think we get the picture, thank you." Bill's eyes narrowed as he felt his stomach lurch when he realised that it was going to cause her pain. More pain. Would the God's ever let up on her? When he turned to face her he could see that her face was lined with worry. Her thumb rested on her cheek as her fingers rubbed across her forehead, her eyes closed. "Madam President?"

"I think I need to lie down," she lied. She just wanted to escape and collect her thoughts away from everyone. It was a lot to take in and although she felt a deep underlying numbness she was sure that she was secretly surging with every horrible emotion possible. She was just unable to recognise them. It was hard enough to be yourself infront of people when you were president, and now, with everything, she felt as if she didn't know who she could trust. Life used to be so simple.

"Yes, of course, I'll escort you to your room, Madam President."

Laura nodded and stood herself up quickly. "Please, keep me informed."

"Of course, Madam President. Of course," Gaius said, peering awkwardly at her stoic face.

As the two leaders left the infirmary, Bill called upon two marines that were situated at the doors. An escort. "I promise you this, Laura. We will get to the bottom of this. So help me Gods." She didn't react. Instead she kept her eyes forward and her face blank. It was just getting worse.

-------------

When Bill had left her in her room he was feeling physically sick with worry. Although he knew that he had some of the best marines watching her door and the ship itself on an extremely high level of security, he still couldn't stop worrying. Someone had done this to her and it made him irate. That woman had done so much for the fleet even when she had cancer. She was a role model and had kept so much together through her will and devotion to the human race. The worst thing was that he didn't have any idea who could have done it. Even if he had an inkling about who it was, he would be down on them like a ton of bricks, interrogating them into submission. He would do whatever he had to do to make sure that she was safe. He had to, for her sake and his own.

The rack offered him very little comfort as he lay there thinking about her. Although he thought about her often, wondering about her feelings and how she was doing, today was different. She was in danger and her health was decreasing by a force that was, at this point, unstoppable. Bill Adama was not used to battling something like this as everything had a weakness, even himself, and his was lying a few inches through the bulkhead. If he had to send out forces to every ship in the fleet until a culprit was found, he would. No stone would be left unturned until that cure was found, or at least until Baltar came up with something.

It seemed like he had been lying there for hours when he got up and began pacing around his room, thoughts running through his mind, preventing him from sleeping. This must be what it feels like not to be able to get the rest you deserve. Laura was strong, but to face this every night must be horrible. The small music player which he had was sitting idly on a table in the corner was like a beacon in the mist, so he walked over to it and turned it on. His quarters filled with the sound of an orchestra playing a soft melodic tune. It was something he used sometimes to help him think. In this case he hoped that it would trigger sleep, or at least a calm state of mind so that he could get some shut eye.

Bill didn't like feeling guilty, but it seemed as if at that moment he was filled with it. He felt guilty for letting Laura down. Maybe if she was watched more or if more guards were present she might not be in the state she was in. He hoped that they could find the thing to cure her. He didn't know how he would cope if she died because of him slipping in the security department. Bill also felt guilty for his lack of presence in the CIC. He was leaving a lot of work for Saul. Although he could handle it, it just made him feel bad that he was leaving him for such long periods of time.

When pacing no longer satisfied his restless mind he took a seat in the chair which sat behind his desk, picking up papers and reports that he had abandoned to deal with Laura. He hoped that sleep would find him soon.

Laura lay her ear against the cold bulkhead in which her rack rested against. The time she thought would be spent contemplating her current state of affairs, was spent instead thinking of nothing. It seemed her mind had become numb to her situation, not wanting to spend any of her precious energy on it. The gut feeling in her stomach was telling her that she needed to think about it, she needed to come to terms with what was happening and how she was going to cope. She just couldn't bring herself to it. It was a bad idea, she knew, but sometimes her body and mind just stopped. Maybe it was a good thing. It might help her get some sleep. Even with this drug coursing in her veins, doing more damage, she still might be able to get some shut eye.

Violins chimed in the air around her. It took her a few moments to realise that music was coming from nearby. When she pressed her ear against the cool metal, she could hear a muffled noise from behind it. Intrigued by the sound, she stood on the rack, lifting her ear to the air vent which was connected to Bill's quarters. When her ear rested against the grate she could hear the music much clearer now. Her brow furrowed, sensing that maybe Bill was having a hard time sleeping like her.

Laura got down from her rack and slipped on her slippers, pondering the idea of going next door. When she caught sight of herself in the mirror she smiled slightly, seeing her stood there in pyjamas. Could she take on the corridors of the great Battlestar in only her nightwear? Not actually giving much of a damn, she threw on her dressing gown and unlocked the hatch. When her face was hit with a blast of cool air she blinked and was taken aback by the small army which was assembled in the corridor. The men were all in black and looking at her with a curious expression. She smiled. "I just need to go and talk to the Admiral about a meeting we are having tomorrow."

The closest marine nodded his head and pulled the hatch closed after her. All five of the men followed her to Bill's door, where she knocked and waited patiently for him to answer. It was slightly embarrassing to be encircled by five armed men while in a pair of pale blue pyjamas, white fluffy slippers and a white dressing gown.

The hatch opened and Bill appeared, sporting a tank top and trousers, something she rarely got to see him in. "Madam President, is everything ok?"

Laura nodded her head, her gaze averting slightly to the men around her. "I thought that we could chat about the meeting tomorrow with Tom Zarek."

Bill nodded his head and let her in, closing the hatch behind her and locking the door. You could never be too safe. "Did you really want to talk about Tom Zarek?" he said as he walked towards her.

Laura shook her head, closing her eyes as she listened to the soft sounds coming from the music player. She really missed the time she used to spend listening to all of her favourite tracks. "I couldn't sleep, and by the sounds of the music drifting into my room, neither can you. Is there something troubling you?" She opened her eyes and rested her caring green eyes on his face.

Bill didn't say anything at first, thinking it slightly ridiculous that she should be asking about his welfare when she was the one in jeopardy. "No, nothing at all."

Laura raised her eyebrow. "Bill…"

"How are you feeling?" he sat down on the sofa and watched as she followed, keeping her dressing gown wrapped tightly around her.

"I'm fine," she lied. It was horrible knowing that there was a possibility that she was going to die. It was horrible to know that someone out there didn't want her alive, that they were killing her for some reason she didn't know. She wanted to cry and let out so much of the pent up frustration inside of her. Whenever she thought about it she felt as if she was choking, the air leaving her lungs and refusing to return. But, when she looked into Bill's eyes she could feel her fighting spirit rise to the surface. Apart from Billy, Bill was someone she wanted to stay alive for.

"I don't believe you," Bill mumbled, pulling out a small bottle of ambrosia from the side of the sofa.

"Just like I don't believe that something isn't troubling you," she said stubbornly, standing up to get glasses from the table. She could see it in his face that he was lying. It was obvious. She also knew that he was pretty good at keeping to a sleeping routine, and at the current time, it was obvious that he wasn't. "Tell me what's wrong."

Bill tensed his jaw and took the glasses from her hand. Expressing emotions was something he liked to keep to a minimum, and although he knew she was good at reading him, he still didn't like saying things out loud. He knew that she was one of the best people he could confide in, like she did to him, it was just difficult to get to the point where words would flow freely from his mouth. Words of love, emotion and feelings. As he poured the green liquid into the glasses he sighed. "It's you."

Laura took her glass and looked at him, her face in total puzzlement. "Me?"

"I'm worried."

Laura watched as he drank the whole of the ambrosia in one long swig, filling his glass up again. She could see it in his face that he didn't want to talk about it but she thought that he might feel better if he did. "Oh, Bill, please, I don't want you worrying about me. It's bad enough that I can't sleep, but for you not being able to because of me is silly."

"It's difficult not to. Someone is doing this to you and what happens if we can't stop it…" he paused, drinking more of his ambrosia. "Laura, I don't want to see you get hurt and I feel as if I don't have the power to stop that at the moment."

Laura felt sick but not from her illness, or the large shot of ambrosia that she had just knocked back, but from the anguish she was causing him. Bill was a strong man and a very stoic and emotionally controlled. But, at this point she had caused him pain and made him feel helpless. She was pretty sure that feeling helpless was something Bill couldn't bear to feel. "I'm sorry, Bill," she whispered, moving closer to him.

Bill looked up, his eyes glistening slightly in the dim light of his room. "Why are you sorry?"

"For this. For everything. It seems that your worries seem to be coming from me and my problems. I don't want you to feel this way at all. I never wanted you to hurt." Laura forced her hand between his torso and arm, moving her body so that her head rested on his shoulder and her body hugging his arm.

Bill kept his gaze forward as he felt the warmth emanate from her body. It was something that he didn't feel often. The warmth of another human was something that he lacked in his life and the way her warmth moved up his body made him sigh. That warmth could be gone in two weeks because someone had gotten to her and he could have done so much more to prevent it. "It is me that should be apologising, Laura."

She almost spat her second large shot of ambrosia out when he spoke, her eyes were wide and shocked. "Bill," she said, swallowing more of the remaining ambrosia. "Don't be so frakking ridiculous. Why would you need to apologise to me?"

Bill's fingers were locked around his glass, swirling the contents around in a circle. "I let you down. If I had increased the security or had you onboard Galactica or something, then maybe you wouldn't be facing this. You wouldn't be facing death so soon after battling it the first time."

It shocked her to think that he would be feeling like this. How could it be his fault? Nobody could foresee that someone was out to kill her. Not in the way it was happening anyway. She lifted her hand up to his face which was looking down into his ambrosia. "Bill, look at me," she said, moving his face towards her. "I want you to listen to me, ok? You, Admiral Bill Adama, have done more for me than I could ever dream possible. If it wasn't for you and Billy I would be alone in this sea of lost souls. You keep me in line and make me feel safe-" Her voice trailed off as she heard him grunt. "Really, Bill. If I could trust anyone in this fleet with my life it would be you."

When Bill watched her hand fall down to his arm again he couldn't bring his eyes back to her face. It made him even more angry and upset to know that she did have such confidence in him, and yet she wasn't safe. It hurt. Another shot of ambrosia washed down his throat making his stomach tingle and his body buzz, he really should have eaten something before.

"Bill?"

"How are you feeling?"

Laura swallowed yet more ambrosia and wiped her mouth. "I'm fine."

"Tell me."

The alcohol in her bloodstream was making her cheeks flush pink and heart beat hard in her ears. The numbness towards her feelings wasn't so strong and everything she had been trying to forget was sat there like an evil demon, threatening to break loose like an angry bull. She loosened her grip on his arm and sat up, pulling off her glasses and sighing. The situation made her feel slightly uneasy, and she was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the alcohol. Being numb in cases like these was good. It was a way for your mind to come to terms with something in its own time. She knew that if she started thinking she would probably cry or crumble. Not being in control was something she feared as much as any illness she had ever had.

"I know you're hurting. I can see it in your eyes."

The air around her was thick with tension and she breathed in, smelling the familiar tang of Bill's aftershave. It reminded her of comfort. She knew he was always there for her when she needed, but something was preventing her from opening up to him. Maybe it was the fact that he felt so guilty about the situation? Or maybe it was just that she didn't want him to see her so weak. Another shot of ambrosia. The warm burning sensation that travelled down her throat was somewhat welcoming and she grimaced as she felt her stomach gurgle as the green liquid arrived. "Bill-"

"I don't want you to tell me you're fine. I know that you're not. I see the way that you avoid the questions and the way you avoid the glances. In the infirmary, when Doc' Cottle and Baltar were explaining what was happening, I could see the worry and pain behind your eyes."

The way his fingers grazed against her skin as she felt him put his hand on hers was brief, but it sent a small tingle up her spine. Why, when she thought she had some sort of control over herself, was he able to make her see more than she wanted to? Why, when her mind was trying to numb everything she had been feeling, was he able to make it rise to the surface? He wanted her to release what she was trying to keep from him, and it was working, she could feel it.

Bill just sat and watched as her face crumpled up in confusion as if she was trying to battle herself. He didn't know how long it would take, but he would make her talk and release her worries.

The emotional blow hit her hard in her chest, making her inhale quickly as if being punched by an invisible force. Confusion washed over her and she felt the tears sting at her eyes and her body quiver as she tried to fight the overwhelming force of her emotions. Bill's hand squeezed hers, his compassion and worry was what made the first tear fall. She placed her glasses on the table and closed her eyes, hoping to shut in the salty tears of sadness and pain, but it didn't work. It didn't take long before they forced their way out of her eyes and down her cheeks.

Bill watched for a few moments, waiting for a sign that she wanted him or wanted to say something. She kept her face averted, wiping at her eyes and face and trying hard to control herself. When he squeezed her hand again he felt her return the gesture, so he laced his fingers in with hers and moved closer. As he reached out to her he thought about the time just before he went down to Kobol. _I'm the only one who can reach out to Roslin. It's always been between the two of us anyway. _At this very moment, that statement was indeed completely true. It seemed he was one of the only people to reach out to her, and her reach out to him.

Laura could feel her walls crumble slowly, exposing everything inside of her that she had tried to keep hidden. She had thought that she would be able to control herself and make sure she didn't get to this point but it just wasn't happening. The tears, however, would not stop once they had started and the sobs followed, making her body shake under their ferocity. This man seemed to know exactly what to say and do to make her do what he wanted. Everything from the lack of sleep, the impending death and her backlogged paperwork was making the tears stronger. It hadn't been until this point that she had realised how deeply this was effecting her. She thought she had a handle on herself but she was gravely mistaken, how could she? Someone was trying to kill her! "Oh Gods," she whispered bringing one hand up to her mouth.

Bill's grip intensified on her hand and he pulled her into a deep embrace which at first he thought she was going to reject. When her body pressed into his he felt her move her head against the top of his chest and her arms wrap around his torso. "Tell me," he said, resting his chin on her head and bringing his hand up to her hair, which he ran his fingers through.

"It hurts, Bill…" she whimpered, hugging him tighter. "…to know that you could have only a few weeks to live and for a reason unknown to you is just…horrible. I remember death, Bill, I remember the pain. When you're at that point all you can do is remember what life was like, all the good things and the wonderful things- it rips you up inside to know you will never feel the wind against your skin or the rain drip down your face. Never to feel the love of another person or feel the kindness of another soul. This though, is different then before. The lack of sleep puts your mind in a different state. Confusion and a continual tiredness constantly remind you that you're unable to rest. You don't feel right in yourself and you forget so much."

"I'm not going to let you die, Laura, you have to know that. I will find out who is doing this and I will stop them hurting you."

Laura sniffed and squeezed him gently. "I know you'll try your hardest, Bill, that's all you ever do.

"No, I will find them, Laura, you have my word on that."

Bill's words were reassuring, but she knew that there was a chance that he wouldn't find the antidote or the person that had done it. All she could do was humour him and wait for him to do what he needed to do. She could feel the tears come to a halt, but she still wouldn't move from his embrace. His big manly arms were a great source of comfort and heat and she found herself so very comfortable. The warmth of another human was somewhat alien to her now. How she missed the pros of a relationship. The late night hugs, the deep sense of comfort and the general feeling of being wanted were sorely missed. Bill was the closest thing she had to a partner. She was still unsure how he felt about her, but she knew the more he did for her, the more her heart would yearn for his touch and attention.

"I know that you don't know this but I already have Starbuck co-ordinating a mission. She has people analysing video footage and various other sources for a sign of anything out of place."

"I would have thought you would be joining them. I know that you like to oversee things."

"I do, but I knew I was needed elsewhere."

"I thought you were going to rest?"

"Well, I was, but when I couldn't sleep I thought that maybe you'd come by if you heard the music. You'd either be asleep and not come, in which case I would've been happy not to have disturbed you, or you'd come by."

"So the music was bait then, hmm?" She was also sure that usually she would be pretty annoyed that he had plotted against her, but she was too thankful for it to complain.

"Well sort of, I mean, none of this was really a plan, but it came together that way. I had intended on talking to you after I had rested up for a couple hours, but I couldn't sleep and then you came to see me."

"Yes, well, I thought you needed a friendly ear, Bill."

"Well, it seems that it was you that needed that ear, Laura. You know it's always here if you want it. Bottling things up is never the answer."

Laura shifted her weight as Bill sat backwards so that she was resting on him a bit more. When she was sure that he wasn't going to move she brought her knees up towards her chest. "I know that Bill. I'm just stubborn."

"You think after all these months I hadn't noticed that?" he said in such a way that Laura thought he was going to laugh. It was like an infectious energy and it made her grin. It seemed that talking to him had eased the pressure a little, and she felt slightly light hearted.

"Am I that easy to read?"

"To me, you are. I think to other people you're not."

"Well, I'm thankful I have someone that is fully educated in Laura-verse then," she giggled, resting her hand on his chest as she nuzzled a little closer. She didn't know if it was the alcohol, warmth or the crying but she was feeling a little drowsy.

"Are you feeling sleepy?" Bill said, feeling her yawn against his body. "If you are, let me know. Every minute of sleep is precious to you at the moment."

"I am. I forgot how much crying can take out of you." She yawned again.

"Well, you needed it. Maybe you should go back to your room and get some sleep."

"No, I'm ok. I don't think I can fall asleep yet anyway. I'm also pretty comfortable," she said snuggling in a bit closer. The truth of the matter was she could easily fall asleep in her own rack at that very moment, but the way she was lying against Bill was just too warm, comfortable and safe. It was one of those moments that you wanted to wrap up and keep forever.

"Well, let me know when you want to go back and I'll escort you to your room."

Laura smiled. "I think that there are enough men out there to form a small army," she mumbled quietly, letting herself drift off into a sleepy haze.

"Well, you can never be too careful."

"Mhmm," she replied, wrapping her arms tighter around him. It was the same as before, when she was struggling to stay awake in the meeting. It was like cotton wool had filled her mind and, although she should really get up and go to her own room, she couldn't muster the energy or will power to leave such a comfortable spot for an unfamiliar rack.

Bill could feel the deep even breaths against his chest and he looked down to see Laura dozing on him, a small smile set on her face. She looked so peaceful and he couldn't muster the courage to wake her up, so he grabbed the throw from behind him on the chair, and lay it over her. When he thought about it though, it might make more sense just to let her sleep in his rack, it wouldn't take much to get her there and it might be a little more comfortable. But, when he tried to move from underneath her he felt her arms hook tighter around him. No, he couldn't dare wake her, and if it meant staying here until she woke up, he would. He just hoped that she would get some sort of rest from this, whether it half an hour or four hours, it would certainly help her in a small way. He moved the throw tighter around her and she responded by snuggling in closer towards him. If it were up to Bill, he would stay like this forever.

------

If it were down to him, the Admiral and President would have been dead weeks ago, making it easy for him to have some say in how the fleet was going to go. If he had it his way he would have been leader of the remainder of the twelve colonies a long time ago. But, he had to follow the plans that had been outlined for him otherwise it would never work.

_When they fell, the path would be open and people would come to the man in red in their hour of need, believing his word to be true. _

A small satisfactory smile spread across his face as he read the crimson words beneath him. It was strange to think that he was born to a normal family, and now, after everything he was going to reign supreme and make sure the human race survived.

Part one of his plan was underway. The president wouldn't last long, another week or so before she would succumb to the death that had been planned for her. It was wonderful how a small book could forsee everything. The second part of the plan, to eradicate one of the strongest men in the fleet would happen soon. The Admiral would barely survive to see the president die.

_Pain would wash down the two souls, ripping them apart. Their love for each other still strong, but not enough to help them survive. Their souls would leave their bodies and then the people would see just what was right and what was wrong._

There would be problems of course, with the rest of the military, especially the Admiral's second in command. After the final day, it wouldn't take much to get rid of him and before that he must get rid of the people with the call signs Apollo and Starbuck. They were people that would cause a lot of trouble if they were not taken care of. No matter, he thought, it wouldn't take much to remove them from the picture, especially when everything had already been laid out for him.

_And on the 20th day, the pain would start. Soon she would be no more._

_------------- _

A sharp shooting pain ran up the neck of Laura Roslin, waking her from her half hearted sleep. She had woken barely an hour or so after falling asleep on Bill, who was now dozing underneath her. She was content in her position and had refused to move, and after a while she had fallen back into a slumber.

The pain was unfamiliar and it took her by complete surprise, making her jump under it's forcefulness. Her hand that was resting on the hip of Bill moved up to her neck and she closed her eyes tightly as she felt another pain fly up her neck, making her body tense. "Frak," she whispered, trying to move into a more comfortable position. Maybe it was just how she was lying, she thought, pulling the cover closer to her neck.

Bill stirred slightly underneath her as she moved around by his side. She thought she was going to wake him, so she gritted her teeth and kept herself still, the pain still forcing its way through her spine. When she was satisfied that he wasn't going to wake, she shifted, adjusting her weight and position, moving away from him slowly before standing up. She picked the cover up with her spare hand and wrapped it around his peaceful self, making sure the chill of his room wasn't going to make him stir. "Sleep well, Bill," she whispered before moving over to the hatch. In the space of a minute she had carefully opened the hatch, keeping it's heavy squeak to a minimum and walked out into the cold hallway. The men outside looked at her and then escorted her down to her room, all five of them with their guns out making sure she was safe.

"Thank you gentleman," she said cheerily as she watched them check her room before she entered. "I'll see you in the morning." When she closed the hatch behind her she walked over to her rack and lay as flat as she could, hoping the pain would reside. It almost felt like someone was slashing razor blades across her skin. It had been such a long time since she had felt anything like it, and she was sure that it wasn't going to let up.


	3. Loving restraint

-1**"Chapter 3- Loving restraint"**

A cool draft of air washed over Bill's face, making him stir slowly towards the surface of a deep and peaceful sleep. When he finally became conscious of his surrounding he could smell the dry and slightly musty scent of his quarters. They seemed so much stronger than last night. He took a deep breath and then he realised that the sweet scent that had been all around him before was no longer around. When he opened his eyes he looked down to see the throw he had placed on Laura across his own body. The sweet flowery smell of her perfume was long gone and so was she. His arm was cold and it made him realise how much he missed the warmth she had provided.

His alarm sounded in the distance and he sat up, working his hands over his neck as he realised that maybe sleeping practically upright wasn't the best thing he had ever done. As he stood up he stretched, inhaling and stretching his arms out to loosen his muscles. He was very surprised by the fact that he had slept through the whole night without waking, It then began to bother him that he hadn't woken when she had left. Why had she decided to abandon his side after commenting on its comfort? He decided that after having a shower he was going to drop by and make sure she was ok. 

Laura sat exhausted at her table, wrapped in her comforter with a pen in her hand and a piece of paper on the dark mahogany surface. It had occurred to her hours before, after trying her hardest to sleep so that she could ignore the pain in her neck, that maybe she could spend her free time writing about her experience. She was, after all, awake well over twenty hours a day, and with someone out to kill her, she couldn't just go walking around late at night on her own. Even with her guard she felt much safer going out during the daytime when more people were around.

The pen wove fluently over the paper, speaking of everything that she had encountered over the past few weeks. She had heard on many occasions, psychiatrists talking about how putting pen to paper can be of some use. So there she was, putting it to the test.

"…_and then he pulled me into a warm embrace, comforting me to a point that I had forgotten possible. If only he knew how appreciative I was of his actions. Even if I expressed it verbally, there would still be an element in my words which lacked my true emotion and gratitude."_

The pain in her neck had reduced to a pitiful throb, but her hand still sat there trying to ease it out of her muscles. The writing had been successful in diverting her attention from the pain and she had been very surprised by the amount of writing that she had gotten through. It was always odd to see your feelings written down on paper. There was almost a sense of unfamiliarity about it, as if someone was writing fiction. But only when you looked deeper between the lines could you truly understand yourself and what others had done for you. It was like analysing text, but your own. You could truly grasp what the writer was saying because it was you who had written it. There were no assumptions, just hard fact.

"_If it hadn't been for the pain I could have easily stayed there the whole night in his arms. It was a selfless act on his part. He had given up a perfectly good rack and a comfortable nights sleep so I could rest. Sometimes he makes me want to feel love again, and to feel that affection and respect that I have so clearly forgotten. There was an uncontrollable feeling of emptiness as I left his arms, craving his warmth as I left the room. I found that when I was lying alone in my bed that everything seemed much bigger and colder. Bill Adama gives me strength and an unconditional devotion that I am most thankful for. One day, I'll be able to repay his kindness."_

Her hand paused on the paper and she let out a sigh. How would she repay his kindness? There were certain limitations when it came to having relationships with people when in a critical position in the fleet. Even being his friend had difficulties. There was always the chance of falling out or getting into a dispute. The closer someone got, the more there was to lose and the easier it was to lose it. Her position in the fleet and her status with Bill always weighed heavily on her mind and heart. She yearned for him as a person and it hurt her often when she denied herself what she desired. It was a selfless act she knew, it was a better position to be in when trying to save the lives of all the people around her. It was what she knew was right. It had also crossed her mind about how Bill would react, given her current situation. He was someone who stood by her side, and she also knew that when she was hurting he felt something too. It made her feel selfish, as if it was her fault for what he would feel when the situation planned out. She wished that when things happened to her they wouldn't affect the people around her.

"_After last night I should feel like I can talk to him more, but there is still something there that stops me. I don't know whether it is this undesirable feeling of not wanting to make him worry about me or just that I don't want to have to put him through this. I know that even with the cancer I was never alone, but it broke my heart when I saw the pain in his eyes. It's something I don't want him to feel again. There will be pain, but I would rather it be all on me then spread across to the people that I have grown to love. Maybe if I keep my distance then I can somehow ease the pain that I know is going to grip both Bill and Billy if I do die. Maybe that is what I can do to repay his kindness- take the full brunt of his pain and worry. Try and lift his burdens and restrain myself."_

She pondered on her last sentence before shaking her head and running a sharp line through her words. She didn't want to shut Bill out, as he was such a continual rock for her. She sharply jabbed the knib of her pen into the paper and let the ink bleed into it. How could she be so selfish? The words she had written were indeed true and she was going to do her best to do exactly that- block him out from what she was going through.

She pulled her briefcase up off of the floor and placed the papers in a small pocket on the inside, zipping it up the whole way before putting the case back on the floor. When she gazed up at the clock she was shocked to see that it as already 5am, and she had spent a very long time writing and expressing herself in the form of words. As she sat there she pondered what the day would bring and what she was going to do with herself. It was early, but not too early to actually go somewhere…with her guard of course. She always admired the way that military ships worked. There was always people around and always someone to talk to. She rubbed her neck again and decided that she should go and see Doc' Cottle. The pain in her neck, although now a dull throb, still made her feel very uneasy. She didn't like to bother people, but she didn't want ignore the signs. After all, Baltar did say it would bring pain.

-----

Bill stepped out of the shower and quickly dried himself. The shower had relaxed his tense muscles and he was feeling very refreshed and ready to take on the day. It didn't take him long to get dressed- it never did. Due to being in the military for so long he was programmed to be quick and efficient. It never seemed right to dawdle or take his time when it came to such trivial things. His attention always had to be diverted to his plans of action and fleet situations. Even when the twelve colonies were still in tact and he rarely had to do anything as remotely difficult as he does now, he would still work to the same beat. It was how it had always been and he was pretty sure that's how it was always going to be. 

The dull buzzing noise of his phone chimed in the distance and he fastened the last of his buttons up and walked over to the corner in which it was situated. The receiver felt cold against his cheek as he brought it to his ear. "Adama."

"Bill…I wasn't sure if you were going to be awake…" Laura was quiet on the other end of the receiver, obviously waiting for him to speak.

"I was just about to come and see you, actually." Bill picked up the book that he had left the other day from the table near his bed and looked at the spine. It was the book he was going to give to her before everything had gotten so hectic. 

"You were? Well, there's no need. I'm just about to go and see Cottle." Her tone was awkward, he noted, and it didn't make sense. He thought that it might be due to the previous night and what had gone on. 

"Cottle? Are you feeling ok? Is that why you left last night?" Bill was ready to fire out as many questions until he was able to find out why she was going there. He hoped deep down that it was nothing but her going to check up on the status of Baltar's and Cottle's tests.

"It's nothing. I was just going to see if they have new information. I'm not going to be long, I have to prepare for a meeting later with Zarek."

"I can come with you."

"It's only a short trip to the sick bay, and don't forget about all the men you have assigned to me. I'll be fine."

"Well, I'm coming to the meeting at least."

"Of course."

"I'll be in the CIC until then and you are more then welcome to come by." Bill wasn't liking the overall tone of the conversations. Yes, it was friendly like most of their conversations, but there was some sort of distance between them. Maybe he would get the chance to talk to her before the meeting. 

"Ok."

Bill's quarters filled with a sharp resonating noise which he knew to be the familiar knock of Tigh. Bill gritted his teeth and redirected his attention back to the phone. "Are you sure you're ok, Laura?" There was a small pause at the end of the line and a small intake of air. Bill didn't know whether to take that as a gasp or the beginning of a sigh so he pressed again. "Laura?"

"Bill, it's nothing. I have to go. Goodbye." The line went dead and Bill put the receiver back on the wall totally unsatisfied with the conversation. It made him wonder if she was ok. He thought that he had bridged the gap between them the night before, making it clear that she could talk to him nor have to appear so strong. When she had talked to him in the past about how she was feeling, last night was the furthest it had ever gone. Now, however, he felt as if were starting back at square one. There were reasons floating around in his head but he put them aside when he heard Tigh knock again, obviously getting impatient.

"Admiral," Tigh said as Bill opened the hatch. "We need you down in CIC, we have a situation onboard one of the civilian ships."

"Why did you come all the way down here to tell me?" Bill said picking up his glasses.

"I'd rather not have had to frakking come down here, but they couldn't get through to you and the stupid intercom isn't frakking working." Tigh scrunched up his face and turned around.

Bill pulled his hatch to and looked down the hall towards Laura's quarters as he quickly sped off down the corridor. As he ran around the corner he caught sight of her leaving her room, her eyes looked worried. He slowed slightly.

"Admiral!" Tigh groaned.

Bill returned his attention to the man before him and began making his way down to the CIC.

-----

"One explosion, two explosion, three explosion four…five explosion, six explosion, seven explosion, how about some more?" He laughed menacingly before pushing the little red button at his side. "Nothing like some fireworks early in the morning to start the day."

The room was empty but he still sat and spoke to himself as if surrounded by an audience. His other hand rested on a red book which he carefully guarded.

_With explosions becomes awareness. They will finally begin to realise that the power in which they carefully ignore is a force not to be reckoned with. _

He grinned happily as he recited the words from his memory. If the day went according to plan then the people with the call signs Apollo and Starbuck would come to a painful demise, leaving his path clear so he could start making the final plans go forward.

----

"Lee, I want you and Starbuck to co-ordinate this. I need you to get down there and see what's going on. We know there have been explosions and there is a small scale riot onboard. Take some marines and get down there." Bill put the receiver back down and gazed around at all the bright lights in the CIC. Saul was looking at him intently, as were many of the other men and women in the room. 

"Well it looks as if things have calmed down a little bit. Compared to earlier it's like a petting zoo." Tigh gripped hard against the side and looked again at Bill. "Do you think we need to send that many men down there?"

"Yes. Lee knows what I want him to look for. The marines are there to calm the people down and Starbuck and Lee are going to scout the ship and take a detailed look at the explosion sites. Once the place has calmed I want all the civilians taken to other ships until the damage has been repaired." Bill flicked through some paper.

"How bad is the damage?"

"It's not too bad. The ship can manage with the people onboard, but I think it will go much faster if they aren't in the way. We need every ship in working order if we are going to make it to Earth in one piece."

"Do we know how the explosions started?"

"No, that's why Starbuck and Lee are investigating. I will not have anymore disruptions in this fleet."

"Damn straight."

Bill looked at the clock and then turned to Dualla. "Get me Tom Zarek on the line."

"Yes sir."

It seemed that with everything going on, ships and people could be trusted very little and he didn't want to put Laura in any more danger, so making Zarek come onboard Galactica seemed like the best plan of action. He would need to get word to her when he had arranged everything. 

"Well, young lady, what can I do for you?" Cottle said, taking another drag of his cigarette whilst watching Baltar who was sat with at least a dozen test tubes next to him.

Laura could feel her neck pulsate with pain again, making her clench her jaw as it spread eagerly down her back and up to the back of her head. "I was just enquiring on your progress."

Baltar sifted though his notes and picked up a sheet of rough, scribbled notes. "We're doing everything we can, Madam President. But, as I predicted, it's beginning to get very difficult. With the substance continually increasing in strength it is very hard to get a handle on it. It has to continually be diluted so I can take proper look at it. Myself and Doctor Cottle are testing it against as many combinations of drugs as we can, whilst trying to see if we can alter its shifting strength. If we were able to prevent it from increasing in concentration then it would give us more time to figure out what to do with it. Obviously, if the antidote was available then it would be much better-"

"Of course. That would be the easiest option, but how would anyone go about something like that when they are in the position of unawareness? Myself and Admiral Adama have no inclination about who would do this and why. It's a very awkward situation indeed."

"Yes, I understand. We'll do what we can. We're making some progress at least." Baltar paused and picked up his pen and made a few more notes.

"How are you feeling, Madam President?" Cottle said, pulling out his torch and pen. "How's the sleeping?"

Laura took a seat on the stool that was situated at the table and placed her hands on her knees. 

"Sleep? If you call the hours of unrest sleep, then there is plenty of it. I am finding it increasingly difficult to switch off and relax, never mind get any shut eye."

"We could try you on some sleeping pills. Baltar has tested a number of the different variations we have just to see if there are any side effects. We have a few that will give you a few hours rest at least." Cottle shined the light in her eyes and placed his other hand on her wrist to check her pulse. "That's up to you though, but I would recommend it. The more sleep you get the better you will feel."

Laura nodded her head and felt another searing pain run through her neck. "I was wondering if you could prescribe some pain meds?"

Baltar looked up from his paper. "Pain meds?"

Cottle leaned forward. "Well, young lady, why didn't you tell me you'd been experiencing pain?"

"I just thought I'd slept funny. It did decrease into a dull throb, but since then it's just increased." Laura could tell that they were worried by the way that Baltar gripped his pen until his knuckles turned white. "I'm sure it's nothing."

"No, I don't think so. You should have come to us when you first started feeling it. I want you to do that from now on. If you feel strange or different, I want you to bring your presidential ass down here so I can take a look at you…Now, tell me where you're feeling the discomfort."

"My neck, down my spine and up to the back of my head," she said, her voice breaking slightly as she gripped her neck.

"Central nervous system, maybe," Baltar mumbled before jotting it down onto pad. Laura looked nervously at him and waited for an explanation for his random outburst, but she never got one, he continued to write frantically on the paper he had almost filled.

"I'll start you on some mild painkillers which are very unreactive with other substances. You can have two pills up to three times a day, no more, no less. Do you understand?"

"Yes, yes of course." Laura took two small boxes from Cottle's hand and placed them in her pocket, feeling slightly overwhelmed with everything as she looked around at all the equipment.

"You better get some rest. I'll let Admiral Adama and Billy know that you're going to put all your meetings to one side until the pain subsides and you get some sleep-"

"No, no you don't have to tell them about this…I'd rather keep that to myself."

Cottle looked at her with an uncertain expression. "Madam President, you need as many people around you as possible at the moment."

"I'll take my meds. You don't need to get people to check up on me," she said , her voice defensive. "I have to go now. Thank you, gentleman. Keep me informed." She grimaced as she stood up, taking the glass of water from the side and popped two pills in her mouth. She nodded courteously and walked out of the room. Not entirely sure on what she was going to do for the next few hours.

---

Billy knocked on Laura's hatch, eager to discuss the days schedule and the meeting with Tom Zarek. After nearly ten minutes he gave in and walked down the corridor to see if he could find out where she was. The corridors were unusually cold today and he had to wrap his arms around himself as he walked as quickly as he could towards his usual source of information, the communications officer Dualla. 

A small gathering of armed men were situated in the corridor and Billy had to wait patiently whilst they assembled themselves in a more organised group. Finding the president onboard a ship of such a size was usually so straight forward, but due to being so far away from her quarters he had been completely unaware of her whereabouts. He knew that her meeting had been rescheduled aboard Galactica as ordered by the Admiral himself, and at the current moment he was trying to find her to let her know. Tomorrow he was going to make sure he was at her room before she left.

If he was to think about how distant she had been with him since the previous day he could easily come to the conclusion that it was all taking its toll on her. He was her aide, and he was meant to do as much for her as he possibly could, keep her schedule in order and basically cater to her every wish. How could he if she was acting so unlike herself? How could he if she was going about her own business without even getting word out to him. 

A strong arm crossed his path, knocking him back slightly as he tried to squeeze past a rather large marine who was staring angrily at him. "Did you not hear me? I said you can't go past here," the marine said, his voice as deep as Billy had thought he had ever heard.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just need to go through that hatch there. You see, I'm looking for the President as I need to give her some vital information." Billy peered nervously at the gun in the marine's hand. 

"This is exactly why you can't go past. We're the President's guard and she is currently using the room beyond that hatch. We can't permit you to go through without clearance from the Admiral himself." Two other marine's closed in front of the door and watched Billy with hawk-like eyes,

"So, that door doesn't lead towards the CIC?"

"No, that was the last turning."

Billy mumbled and put his hand in his pocket. "I am the president's aide. My name is Billy Keikeya. If she is in there I need to give her some information."

"Not without the Admiral's say so you can't. You'll have to take the matter up with him. Now be on your way," he said, moving Billy back a few steps.

Billy looked up to the sign above the door and noted that the president was in the religious room, something she didn't do very often, but only in times of crisis. This made him a little bit anxious so he turned and headed back towards the right direction so he can get clearance from the Admiral.

As the men worked around him, Bill stood reading through some papers, waiting until Lee had his crew ready so he could send them off. Sometimes, like at that very moment, the CIC offered some sort of comfort to him. It was a place he had stood for many years, watching over the fleet, his pilots and the stars. Familiarity, to Bill, was like an old friend in situations like these, the constant buzzing of the monitors, the faint mumbling of voices, the flashing of lights and the general feeling of this room reminded him of what he was there to do. He was there to command. 

The papers he had in his hand were placed absentmindedly down on the dark surface of one of the CIC compartments as he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. One day he wouldn't have to stand here anymore and command the fleet. One day he wouldn't feel the pressure of the thousands of people lives which he was meant to protect. No more split-second decisions, second guesses and bloodshed. He hoped that when they did eventually get to Earth that he would be able to retire like he had planned to.

"You have a visitor by the looks of it, Admiral," Tigh said, standing to one side so Bill could see through the glass door of the CIC.

Billy was stood outside, his face red with frustration as he tried to reason with the guard outside. His arms gripped his hips as he said something to the guard, his eyes gazing over the door in the look of defeat. When he looked through the glass he caught Bill's eyes and that was signal enough for Bill to go and see what was going on. Bill looked to Tigh, who nodded his head and made his way up towards the entrance. "Is everything ok out here?"

Billy nodded his head. "Sir, I know I really shouldn't come bother you with such trivial matters."

"Is there something bothering you, Billy?" Bill put his hand on Billy's arm and pulled him to one side, dismissing the guard outside who moved inside to the CIC. 

"I can't go and see the president, sir." Billy said bitterly.

"What do you mean? Is she ok?"

"I don't know. I can't get into the religious room to find out, sir. Her guard won't permit me to enter. I don't have the right clearance. I was told that if I got the order from you I could go and do my job."

Bill nodded. "Of course, Billy, of course. I'm sorry you had to come all this way to get clearance from me. It's a pain I know but with everything that's going on I think you can appreciate that they are doing their job." Bill called the guard back outside. "I want you to escort Billy down to the religious room and tell the marines there that I've given him clearance."

"Yes, sir," the guard said, moving to Billy's side.

"Thank you, Admiral Adama." Billy nodded his head and walked down the hallway with the guard.

Bill called upon another officer to replace the guard and entered back into the CIC, his mind full of thoughts as he walked back down to the centre of the room. He knew that Laura was religious type, but he couldn't remember the last time he had known her go in there. The last time she had gone down there was when she was aboard Galactica and her cancer was well progressed. 

"Admiral, Apollo's on the line, everything's ready." Tigh pulled the receiver up and handed it to the man in command.

--

Lee hoisted his gun up onto his shoulder and sat patiently at the back of the raptor as it came to a hard stop on the hangar deck of the Carina. Apart from his raptor he had another one which was filled with a few more marines and Starbuck, who had already landed. 

The door opened slowly and Lee walked steadily out of the raptor, his gun raised as a sign of authority as he scanned the area for anything out of sorts. Starbuck was stood briefing the five marines that were with her, letting them know that they are to control the situation onboard.

"Kizerksi and O'Kane, you are with me and Lieutenant Thrace to scout the ship. The rest of you I want to go down to where the civilians are out of hand. No rounds to be shot. I just want the situation maintained and controlled. Once we have found out what me need to know we will come and join you. If anything goes wrong then you can talk to us through the comms system," Lee said, finishing off Kara's instructions.

"Lets get this over and done with, I have a card game I need to win," Kara said, walking off towards the hatch at the other end of the hangar. She wasn't completely happy with the detail that she had been assigned. It was a routine job that anyone could do, but there was the Admiral sending her and Lee onboard to do something she wasn't completely familiar with. She knew what she was looking for, but she was also sure that there were more qualified people that he could have called upon. Lee had told her that the Admiral 'trusted them' and that 'he didn't think it was an accident.' She grumbled and walked through an open hatch.

Lee shook his head, sent the men off and followed her. "Look, we need to get this done, find out what caused the explosions, it shouldn't take too long."

A tall man with dark long hair stood before them with a folded piece of paper in his hand. It looked as if he was a member of the Carina's crew sent to give them the map of the area in which the explosions were detonated. When he saw them he straightened up, his height increasing another inch. "Captain Adama?" the man said, peering down at the people around him.

"Yes. Do you have the map?" Lee said, eyeing him up suspiciously. 

"Yes, sir," he said, unfolding the paper. "The red points are where the explosions took place and the blue spot is our current location. The ship's captain has already sent men down there and they think it was something to do with the heating system. But, of course, you'll be able to see that when you get down there."

Kara looked at him carefully. He was incredibly large for such a small ship. Men like him usually worked in engine rooms and the military, not as messenger boys. He was nearly seven feet tall and broad with well defined muscles which she could see clearly through his fitted white uniform. His eyes were deep pools of brown and hard, matching his facial expression. He was like an old wrestler in his features, but you could tell he was young. A deep purple scar ran down the side of his face, it looked raw which signalled that it was new. "That's a fine looking scar you have there- what did you say your name was?"

"Geoffrey, sir…I got it when I fell down the stairs a few weeks ago, bashed it against the edge of a lining tray." He rubbed his hand over it and turned away from them. "The first explosion was at the other end of the ship. This way please."

"You're coming too?" Lee said, confused. "Then why give us a map?"

"The captain thought it was necessary. This ship has many corridors and long passages, we wouldn't want you to get lost. The map was there out of convenience, just in case I have to leave."

Lee wasn't totally convinced so he turned and nodded to Kara who was looking as confused as he was, she put her hand against her gun and moved forward.

As they rounded around a sharp corner Lee could smell a distinct odour of burnt rubber and heated metal, it made his nose wrinkle and his hand came up to shield the strong smell. When they veered around the last corridor he had to pull out his torch as the lighting wasn't very good. 

The light from the torch didn't do much but they could see distinct scorch marks spread across the bulkhead with deep holes and broken bits of unknown objects. Kara moved close to the bulkhead, leaning forward so she could take a decent look at the area. "Nah, this wasn't anything to do with the heating, look…" she said pointing to the fragments which had blown inside the bulkhead. "If it was to do with exploding pipes or anything like that, it would have forced all the fragments this way, into the corridor. Can you see, all the bits have blown inwards."

"Something's not right here. This was done on purpose. Is this the same throughout the other sites?" Lee turned to Geoffrey and shone the light in his face.

"I don't know, sir, I'm just the guide. I can go and get someone else that can give you some more answers. Someone a bit more technical?"

"I want to talk to your highest in command, now!"

Geoffrey gulped slightly and turned and headed off down the corridor.

"Lee, something isn't right here. How could that be mistaken for a heating malfunction? The whole bulkheads been blown through."

Lee turned to the marine who was stood a few feet away. "I want you to go and see what's going on with the other marines. See how they are handling the situation with the civilians. If they have everything under control tell Gibson and Tyrell to stay behind, get the others to wait by the raptor. Now." 

"Yes, sir."

Kara kneeled and looked closer at the bulkhead. "Lee, can you see that?"

Lee leant forward, getting as close as he could without making the bulkhead out of focus. A small distinct symbol was imprinted on the metal just above where the bulkhead had caved in. Against the silver and charred metal surface it shone out at them like a drop of blood on a piece of paper. The red was crimson and strong. "What do you think it is?"

Kara rotated her head and peered at it, running her fingers over the surface. "That can't be right." She took the small camera out of her side pocket and took a snap of it, and of the whole area.

"I thought the same thing."

"It looks like a toaster's head."

"Exactly what I was thinking." 

A loud bang filled the corridor and Kara jumped up, her gun at her side. Deep and powerful footsteps came tumbling down the corridor. Lee, Kara and O'Kane moved backwards into a small line and stood waiting for whatever was going to come around the corner. 

"Sir, we need to get off of this ship, or at least call for backup," Kizerksi said, sweat lining his upper lip and his eyes wide with something Lee couldn't put his finger on. 

"What's the situation?"

"They're dead, sir. All of them." 

"The civilians?" 

"There are no civilians, sir. The whole room was empty, I didn't get chance to look around, but the other marines are dead." 

"Ok. Let Galactica know through your comms system. We need to get off of this ship." Lee moved off down the corridor, followed by Kara and the two marines, a sick feeling of dread moving around in the dark depths of his stomach.

When they had gotten further down the entry a sharp high pitched noise sounded around them, making them all put their hands to their ears. A thick metal door came down from the ceiling right in front of them, blocking their way towards the hangar bay. The lights turned off and they were plunged into darkness. They were stuck and alone on an unfamiliar ship with a map and a torch. "Frak," Lee yelled before turning to the people behind him. "How's the comms system?"

"I can't get a signal, sir. I can't get through to Galactica."

"FRAK! Kara yelled before kicking hard against the nearest bulkhead. "This was a frakking trap. The Admiral was right to suspect foul play but now we're stuck on this frakking ship with four dead marines and no way out! We need to find a way out of here, give me the frakking map." She pulled the map and torch out of Lee's hand and stared at it, her face scrunched up with anger and frustration. Her hand ran through her hair and she stamped her foot on the floor. "There are about fourteen corridors around here and only one of them leads towards the hangar bay. Lets hope for our own sake that the frakking things isn't blocked."

A deep resonating boom filled the long corridor making all four of its occupants look up in surprise. Lee stood up and shone his torch down both of the corridors that was adjoined to the corner in which he stood, but nothing was visible. "What was that?" He lifted up his gun and walked deeper into the darkness. 

Kara followed him, taking note of the fact that they were heading towards the only available exit. What if someone was waiting for them at the other end? 

Another deep boom came from the other direction making them turn around. "I think we need to get to the exit, and fast, I don't like the sound of those noises." Kara lifted the map up once more and pointed in the right direction.

"Agreed. Let's go. Be alert and keep an eye out for anything." Lee started off on a brisk trot, his gun pointing in every angle as he tried to make out his surroundings.

Another boom.

The torch in Lee's hand flickered before turning off, the whole hallway turning pitch black. "Please tell me you charged that thing before we came here, Lee." 

"It was fully charged. I'm sure of it." He tapped it off of the bulkhead and it flickered shining a few more stray rays into the darkness.

"Frak, Lee." Kara grabbed Lee's arm and began pulling him away.

"Starbuck, get off," he pulled his arm away and looked down the corridor and he stepped back. 

A thick cloud of red smoke was moving down the corridor, engulfing everything that it came into contact with. "What do you think it is?"

"I don't know, but I'm not sticking around to find out." Kara grabbed his arm again and all of them began running down the corridor as fast and carefully as they could, the torch ceasing its light again. 

Kara was cursing herself inside as she moved quickly along a very long and cold metal walkway. She could feel Lee behind her, trying to work the torch as they glided blindly in a single direction. She had to think. They needed to get out and the only way they were going to do that was if they could get the torch to work so they could get a look at the map, although she was pretty sure they wouldn't be able to plot themselves on the map anyway. Her hand skimmed the surface of a small metal object sitting on the wall. She gripped it and she could make out the thick outline of a receiver. "Lee, it's a phone!" she yelled, pulling it clean out of its place. "We can send out a call to Galactica through this, I'm sure of it." 

"Yeah, Kara, and how are we going to do that with no light," he said angrily bashing the torch off of the bulkhead again. As soon as the casing of the torch came in contact with the bulkhead it shone brightly in Kara's face making her squint and recoil. 

"Thank the Gods," she said pulling it out of his hand and shining it onto the console. "Do you remember the frequency?"

"Try frequency four, and quick," he said nervously, quickly shining the light behind them, the thick red smoke moving steadily behind them. They didn't have long. "Come on, quick," he mumbled returning the torch to the console.

"Galactica."

"Frak. This is Starbuck. We have a situation onboard the Carina and we need urgent assistance." She turned to see Lee looking at her with a worried expression, the thick red smoke was very close. 

"Kara, we need to move, now," he said coughing as he felt the smoke line his throat. He pulled on her arm and she pushed him off.

"Go. I'll catch up."

"No, we have to go now. Kara, this smoke could be anything," he coughed again.

"We have to let them know!" She moved away from him and coughed as she breathed in the thick red smoke.

Lee shook his head and stepped back from the smoke, watching as it moved swiftly around Kara.

"We have four marines dead, it was a trap" she coughed again, a sharp stabbing pain ripped up her throat and back. "Situation is critical…ugh," she let go of the phone and her whole body shook with the searing white hot pain that was travelling through her muscles. "Arghhhh," she moaned, before falling to the floor.

"Starbuck!"

---

Laura and Billy sat across from Zarek who was sporting a navy suit, a red tie and a worried expression on his face. Two of his men stood distantly behind him with blank expressions. At the current moment Tom was staring at Bill who was stood behind Laura and Billy, his arms folded and a sceptical look on his face.

"Madam President. I know we haven't seen eye to eye in the past but you have to believe me. This whole fleet is in danger. The book that I speak of will cause a lot of havoc to you all." He stood up and put his hand inside his bag and pulled out a wad of paper that was stapled at the top, it had to be nearly 300 pages long. 

"Why are we to believe you, Tom?" Laura said, taking a sip of water. 

"Read for yourself," he said, opening it and holding it up. "They would know that what we speak of to be true, the leader, the woman, would fall. She would fall due to a human creation, designed to keep the user awake. It would run through her like a plague making her lose control of her body and mind and finally make her succumb to a horrible and-"

"That's enough," Bill said, moving forward and pulling the pages out of his hand. "I think someone is having you on, Tom, and you are fuelling the words by getting paranoid about it."

Zarek ran his hands over his face and shook his head. "I really think you need to listen to me on this one. With all due respect I think that you are perhaps not giving this idea much thought. I came to you so that I could enlighten you, make it so you knew what was coming. If you read that book it preaches of a force with a red eye which we must bow down to and respect so that we can all survive. It runs in day order, going all the way to the 27th day of bombardment. The explosions, the flyers…it all fits. I'm a sceptic myself but I just can't ignore this."

Laura watched him avidly as he pleaded with the Admiral. She knew Tom, and this was certainly out of character. The words he had read had brought about a certain feeling of dread within her. It was highly accurate and could only possibly be written by someone who knew about her current condition, and at present that applied to very few people. Maybe it was the person or people had done this to her? Maybe it was a clue, something they had planted among the fleet? It was almost like a game. "Tom, where did you get this?"

"Over the past few weeks I've been hearing things amongst the people, things that I couldn't believe I'd heard. There are people out there who believe that we should be worshipping the cylons. I'm sure you've heard of them. But, then there were flyers and now civilians are being pulled in to these ridiculous ideas. There's a small movement. I'd heard someone talking about a book called, 'The rising red.' These people are treating it like the religious treat the scrolls."

"These people are playing the civilians against their own fear. At the moment, many of them will believe anything just so they know they will survive. It's a horrible tactic." Laura said, her voice cold and hard as she thought about poor and innocent people being pulled into such a movement.

"I agree, Madam president. I sent someone out to see if they could find out more about this book or even get hold of a copy. There are two copies, each guarded heavily and it was nearly impossible to get hold what I have here. The original is at a unknown destination aboard the fleet, probably with the ring-leader. This is just a copy and it doesn't go to the end."

"I'm inclined to think that maybe with all the stress and everything that you might be losing it," Bill said, bending the sheaf of papers and tucking them under his arm. "I certainly think that this is just a load of fiction made to make people turn against the government and military."

"Fiction or not, Admiral, the things in there are coming true. Whether it be due to chance or due to someone making it happen, it is. You can keep it. Read it if you need proof, I'm sure you'll find something very interesting in there, sir. Today is day twenty." 

"I think it's time you left." Bill signalled to the guard to open the door.

Zarek closed his eyes in defeat and shook his head. "I hope that you can finally come to your senses before it's too late." He picked up his bag and went to leave before hesitating and walking over to the president. "Laura, I know that we don't see eye to eye, but if something is going to damage this fleet then it is in my own interest to make sure that I survive."

"I know, Tom." Laura slid her glasses further up her nose.

"Take care of yourself. I hope, for your sake, that it is a load of fiction." Laura looked away and fiddled idly with her thumbs. Tom leaned forward some more. "You are ok, aren't you?"

Bill moved forward and grabbed Tom by the arm. "I really do think that it's time for you to head back to your ship."

Tom pulled his arm out of the Admirals' grip and walked rapidly out of the hatch, nearly walking into his escort and off down the corridor towards the hangar bay.

"Don't listen to him. I seriously think that this isn't worth the reading time." Bill chucked the papers on the table and sat down. "I don't know what is going on in this fleet anymore."

Laura reached out to the papers and ran her fingers over the dull black ink on the paper. "I think that we need to read this."

Bill looked up, his eyes scrunched up as they did when he analysed her. He could see the worry in her eyes and he knew that Zarek's words had touched her. "You believe him, don't you?"

"You heard what he said. The book may be fiction, but how many people know about my condition? How many people know that someone out there is trying to kill me? Bill, how do we know that this book wasn't created by the person that is doing this to me?" Her stomach knotted and she took off her glasses. The whole situation was just getting worse. She had to agree with Bill, she didn't know where the fleet was going and it made her sad and angry. 

Bill nodded his head becoming very aware of the logic in which she was speaking. It was true that very few people knew about her condition and it was troubling. He was going to have to read it and see what he could make of it. "Ill concede your point. I'll give it the once over and see what I make of it. I'm sure that it's just a coincidence. I'd rather not take the word of something like this. Our future isn't written in stone, Laura, or paper."

Laura sighed, "But it is, Bill. All of this has happened before and-"

"-all of this will happen again. I know. I think that maybe in these circumstances it might be a little different. But in any case, I am going to read it and I am going to do the best I can to stop all of this." 

"I'd also like to read it." 

"Well, I think that we can both read it. As soon as I've seen to my duties."

Laura nodded her head and stood up, waiting for Billy to do the same. He had remained quiet throughout the whole thing and she didn't know why. "I have to go and do some paperwork anyway. I'll be in my room until then, so you know where I am when you come to read it."

"Of course," Bill said, watching her carefully. She began walking out of the room. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," she lied, subconsciously holding on to the pill boxes that were still in her pocket. She walked out of the hatch and into the hands of her armed guard and walked down the corridor to the left.

Bill shook his head, tightened his grip in the papers under his arm and headed into the corridor himself. He knew she was lying. He may be getting old but he could certainly read people reasonably well. He had noted that she was holding herself funny, like someone who had slept awkward would tend not to move their neck so much and take their time when it came to certain movements. He'd have to go and talk to Cottle when he had a chance. He began his walk back towards the CIC when he heard sharp and powerful footsteps on the metal. He turned to see some officers heading in his direction. 

"Admiral, we have a situation. We need you back in CIC."

"What is it?"

"It's Apollo and Starbuck, they're in some sort of trouble on the Carina, sir."

Laura could hear the commotion as she headed down towards her quarters and she paused, turning around to see the men talking to Bill at an alarming rate. She watched as his face hardened and his whole body move speedily off towards the CIC. Something wasn't right. She decided that maybe she should go and help.

When she finally arrived at the CIC the room was silent and Bill was leaning on the console listening to something. She walked inside and made her way down towards where he was standing. 

"_Frak. This is Starbuck. We have a situation onboard the Carina and we need urgent assistance…Kara, we need to move, now cough cough…go. I'll catch up…no, we have to go now. Kara, this smoke could be anything cough cough…we have to let them know…we have four marines dead, it was a trap cough cough situation is critical…ugh…argh clatter thud Starbuck!"_

Laura stood with her hand over her mouth, her eyes fixed upon Bill's gaze. His stoic expression signalled to her that he was trying to keep himself together as he pondered on what had happened. 

"Have we heard anything more since the broadcast?" Bill said, turning to Dualla.

"No, sir. We haven't heard anything and we can't make contact with the ship. I've tried several times but there doesn't seem to be any response."

"What are we going to do?" Tigh was stood opposite him with a worried expression on his face.

"We need to send some men down there and get them back. If we have to cut into the ship then we will."

Laura zoned in on the folded paper which Bill had left on the side of the console, she leaned forward and picked it up, keeping her eyes on Bill as he shouted orders out around the CIC. The paper was notably rough and she lifted it up towards her face and opened the pages. Once she had located in the contents where she would find day twenty she flicked through until she saw a big bold heading with day twenty written across it. People were scurrying around here and she read, wide eyed at the words beneath her.

_And on the 20th day, the pain would start. Soon she would be no more._

Laura held her hand against her mouth, feeling her stomach churn beneath her as she reread the words. Today was day twenty and there she was in the early hours of the morning, pain rushing up her neck. She shook her head, trying to remember the fact that maybe the book was written by the person or people that were out to get her. They would know how quickly the drug would act and what it would do, it would make sense for it to be in here.

_Apollo and Starbuck, the child and surrogate who would cause severe disruption when we overcome the leaders. A road to victory has many obstacles and to overcome them you must get them out of the way. The red smoke of the Diroxylo will wipe them out. Trapped like animals within a southern constellation which forms part of the old constellation of Argo Navis. _

Laura threw the book down on the console and stepped away from it. "Oh Gods," she whispered before turning to Bill who was staring at her with an intense puzzlement. "A southern constellation which forms part of the old constellation of Argo Navis. Argo Navis is said to be a constellation which is near Earth, but nobody has ever seen it. It has another name, the Carina."

Bill pulled the paper up off of the console and pulled it open, his eyes gazing down onto the words. They sunk into him like a nail into wood. There was something very odd and unnerving about the words on the paper. 

"The red smoke of the Diroxylo legends. It was an old folks tale, I remember hearing it when I was a child. The smoke would come about whenever a new leader was anointed when the colonies were still young. It would come out and get rid of people who were against the newly appointed leader. I always thought it was there just to stop people questioning new authority, especially children."

"It's just an old folks tale, you just said so yourself."

"What did Lee say in the recording, Bill. 'This smoke could be anything.' Regardless of whether it is an old folks tale or not, the smoke was mentioned in there and that is what is going on aboard the Carina."

"We have a transmission from the Carina, Admiral. It's Apollo," Dualla shouted, looking down to the red faced Admiral.

"Put him on." 

"cough This is Lee…cough argh, we need assistance ASAP."

"What's your condition?"

"Starbuck is down, sir and the two marines are barely on their feet, cough we need some assistance now. Arghhh…"

"Apollo!" Bill shouted.

"Ugh, clank…"

"Lee!"


	4. The Woman, The Human The Survivor

**Chapter 4- 'Laura Roslin-the woman,  
the human…the survivor'**

Bill stood, leaning over the dradis console taking deep breaths to control himself as he listened to the fizzing of the ended transmission. His head began spinning as he contemplated his son's and Kara's current situation. Things were taking a very dramatic turn and spiralling out of control around him. For a brief moment Bill felt like a worried father, knocked back by the sudden and shocking news that his son was in peril. Mentally, he had to battle with the overpowering force of overprotection that welled inside of him for his son. In times like these, as he had already realised, you just wanted to shield your children from danger, and right now he wasn't succeeding. The urge to run and get him, rescue him, was strong, but who better to save his son and Kara then the Admiral? He had to pull it together. They were in trouble and he _was_ the Admiral, he had to get them out of there.

"I want a full recon squad assembled in the hangar bay in five minutes! I want oxygen masks and body suits worn," Bill yelled, his face set hard as he gazed over to Tigh who was stood staring at him.

Laura watched from the sidelines as Bill shouted out his orders, her stomach in a knot as she thought of the two people stuck on that ship, their lives in danger. Dread was wreaking havoc inside of her stomach making her feel sick as she looked to the papers still lying on the console. This had to be someone's idea of a sick and horrible joke. It was almost like being in a nightmare- the people she had grown fond of were paying the price. She couldn't help but wonder if all of this was her fault. It had all started with her and now slowly the people around her were being targeted. What was the purpose of this? What benefits would this have? The most frustrating thing about it was their lack of knowledge. How do you fight an enemy when you don't know who or what it is?

A few officers were moving quickly around her and it brought her back to focus. "If there is anything I can do," she said, her hand resting on Bill's arm as he ordered the assembly of an extra three marines to escort the recon mission.

When he looked to her she could see the worry behind his eyes, his face remained blank but his eyes were the windows to his soul, and at that moment she could see everything. "Thank you," he said, nodding gently to her. He picked up the receiver and shouted, "Get me Helo on the line!"

Laura stepped back and looked up to Billy who was staring, looking slightly overwhelmed as he took in the current goings on. When it came to matters like this you always felt helpless as there was always very little that you could do. Her hand came to her stomach as she felt it tighten, a sharp pain travelling through it. Her eyes stayed on Bill as she tried to ignore it. The book said she would experience pain, but would it get worse? Was it just her stomach kicking up a fuss over something she had eaten? Another pain ripped through her, making her bend over slightly against the console.

"Madam President?" Billy said, moving closer towards her.  
She stood upright and moved her hair out of her eyes. She couldn't bail out on Bill at such a critical moment, he was going to need her if anything horrible happened. Although she had vowed to keep him distant from her and her situation, she couldn't just sit by and watch him writhe in agony as his child and friend were in trouble. "Ugh," she moaned, another sharp and highly intolerable pain attacking her insides.

Bill who had finished talking to Helo on the phone, caught sight of her as she brought her hand up to her mouth. "What's wrong?" he mumbled, walking over to her.

When she felt his hand on the top of her arm she shook her head. "I'll be right back," she said, moving quickly out of the CIC to go and bring up the contents of her stomach.  
Bill stood helpless as he watched her walk briskly off. What was he going to do? It was like everything was crashing down around him, Lee, Kara and Laura. His attention was being compromised. He could tell that Laura had indeed been hiding things from him, and it had become apparent that it had gotten a lot worse since he had last spoken properly to her. Now, his son and Kara were in mortal peril and he wanted to attend to both matters. He returned his gaze to the console as he watched the small raptor icon move towards one of the civilian ships, his stomach twisting as he pondered on the fate of his son.

--  
Laura rested her head against the bulkhead of the toilet, her face clammy and pale. At the moment she didn't know what to do. She knew that she had to go and see Cottle, but she didn't want to leave Bill until she knew that Lee and Starbuck were ok. Bill was a strong man, and by looking at him she could tell he was trying to hold it together. She wanted to be there regardless as she knew that her presence would be appreciated even if he never expressed the need for her to be there. It was always the same though- he very rarely asked for her help, but she was there anyway.

In terms of things getting bad, it seemed that for her, Bill and the human race it was never easy. Stuck aboard a collection of ships, running for their lives whilst a compilation of Cylon models tried their hardest to destroy them, annihilate them and cause genocide of a whole species seemed to be the beginning. Each and every person aboard the vessels had their own personal problems and conflicts to deal with, some more then others. It was hard to get up every day and face the metal bulkheads, the darkness of space and the continuous pressure that was pressed upon Laura's shoulders like an anvil. It would make sense for her not to want to do what she did, but she was stubborn and wanted to prove a point- humans were survivors and although they had their faults, they didn't deserve to be wiped out. Out of everything the humans had ever dreamed up, science, engineering, art and music were remarkable creations. The complex minds of her fellow man had gotten them, however, into the situation they were in now. Their laid back approach to life and the ever-growing need to make life as easy as possible had brought about the creation of the Cylon- the would be destroyers of mankind. Even if in the eyes of the Cylons, the humans were greedy, aggressive and sometimes quite possessive it still didn't justify what they were doing. Everyone had their flaws, as did the Cylon models. As did Laura and Bill. As did every single living being.

Since the beginning, when it all began, Laura had to overcome so much. She had to realise that she was not just the 'Secretary of Education,' anymore, she was the leader and President of the remainder of the Twelve Colonies. People, at first, mocked her because of her past, they didn't trust her- especially Bill. Since then she has had to overcome her own fears and trepidations to stand tall and to make the people realise that she was going to do her best to save them. The cancer she had tried to ignore for so long had brought her near death and she had fought right until she could no longer comprehend sounds and recognise faces. She was pulled back into the realm of the living through Baltar's act of injecting her with Hera's blood. She thought that it would get easier, but it hadn't. Now her life was hanging in the balance and she didn't know what to do. In fact, there wasn't much she could do. At least when she had cancer she always knew that it would end the way it would. But now, she knew that she could either survive or perish, and it frightened her. Things could be done and said, someone could catch the culprit or Baltar and his wonderful mind could come up with something. There were so many possibilities, so many paths, and now she stood at a forked road, wondering which path she was going to take. It was a situation she had never found herself in before and every time she thought about it, her mind cringed and she had to keep herself together so she wouldn't fall apart. It wasn't just fear, it was the overwhelming sense of helplessness that worried her.

Her thin fingers traced the lines of the cold bulkhead as she busied herself with more idle thought, trying to overpower her nausea and think about her situation. She wanted to make it all better, for herself, Bill and the thousands of people out there who were finding living a struggle. Earth was a hope that she clung to, hoped for and she wasn't going to give it up without a fight. She would keep her chin held high until she could do so no longer. Laura Roslin, the President of the Twelve Colonies, the former secretary of education, the fighter, the strength, the lover, the woman, the human…the survivor.

The box in her pocket rattled as she stood up, pressing her hand against her stomach as the pain ripped through her. The survivor. She eyed herself in the mirror and adjusted her posture so her head was held high. She took out the pills in her pocket and placed two in her mouth, ready to take on Bill and the CIC. If she could just hold on for a little while, just until she knew that she wasn't needed. She hoped that these painkillers would act fast as she splashed cold water over her face. She had to be there for him, the way he was for her.

--  
Bill turned around when he saw the doors to the CIC open, Laura stepped in, with her guard at her heels. When the light of all the CIC monitors washed over her face he could see how pale she had gone in the space of a few minutes and it worried him. His eyes strayed back to the monitors for a few moments, hearing the orders and tactics of Helo on the speakers.

"Any news?" Laura said, her hand resting over her stomach as she too looked at the monitors.

"No, the recon squad has just pulled up to the Carina. They're going to have to cut through the hull because we can't make contact with anyone inside." He moved his glasses closer to his eyes and looked down to her. "Are you ok, Madam President?"

Laura nodded her head and picked up the folded papers that were still lying on the console. "I'm fine thank you, Admiral."

"Madam President?" Billy said, getting her attention.

"Excuse me," she said to Bill as he stared intensely at all the monitors around him. She moved off so Billy could talk to her.

"This is Lieutenant Agathon, we've gotten though the hull and are now entering the inside of the Carina."

All heads in the CIC lifted so they could hear what was going on, hoping to be updated with good news soon.

The whole ship was in complete darkness, not a single light or flashing sign to be seen. Helo had his torch in his hand, his mask on his face and his gun in his other hand. The men around him were all shining their torches around the room that they had entered and were looking for some clues to the whereabouts of their missing comrades.  
_Funny_, Helo thought, _this is meant to be a civilian ship…but there aren't any._ "Ok, the Admiral wants the team to split up into four groups of three to search a wider area." He turned around. "You three take the port hatch, you three take the starboard, you lot over there and you two come with me, we're going this way. I want everyone to remain in contact via the comm link. If you find the missing men I want you to make contact as soon as possible, as we don't know what condition they are in." There was a mumble of agreeing voices. "If you don't find them I want everyone back here in ninety minutes, that's an order. Now, go!"

The room emptied and Helo called the two men that were to go with him to his side. Helo walked up to the hatch that he had assigned himself to and walked up to it, he counted and pulled it open, the other two marines shooting inside to scout out the immediate area. It was empty. All three of them walked carefully down the long corridor, checking in every direction just to make sure that nobody was going to jump out on them.

"Sir, there's at least three other corridors down here. Which one should we go down first?" the tallest marine said, shining his torch on Helo.

"The majority of these will lead to dead ends…I think that we should follow this down and see where it heads to. Keep your eyes and your ears open. They might call for help and we wouldn't want to miss that. OK? Now, this way." Helo headed off down the dark corridor.

The tension in the CIC was thick and everyone was on edge as they listened and waited for any sign of the missing souls. The communication link between the ship and the men on the Carina was fuzzy, but they were still audible over the tannoy that was blaring their voices around them. Tigh was stood next to Bill, almost like a gesture to let him know he was there. Although their relationship had been slightly strained over the past few months, when it came down to it they were old friends and Tigh would be there for him. Tigh wasn't an optimist and from the sounds of Lee's transmission, things weren't looking good.

Laura observed Bill from a distance as she still hadn't moved back over to the console. Billy had gotten her a chair, and she had taken it, not wanting to stand up for a long time, her stomach pain now slightly more bearable as the pain killers worked their magic. She still had the papers folded in her hand, not wanting them to stray into the hands of someone else. She wanted to analyse this and see what she was up against and what perhaps she was going to face.

"Can you see that? There's red smoke coming from underneath that bulkhead…we need to get through there now!" Helo's voice echoed around the CIC and a small murmur followed from around the various different people still sat in there.

Bill gripped the console hard and turned to Dualla. "Tell Helo to get the other marines back to help him."

"Helo, this is Galactica actual, the Admiral requests that you call back the other marines to help you."

"Yes, sir,"

Bill kept his gaze firmly on the monitors around him. His whole body was buzzing with tension and worry, forcing the adrenaline through his veins like a poison. The buzzing of the transmission was like a lifeline, keeping him in contact with the world outside, the condition of his son and Kara. If it stopped he thought that maybe he wouldn't be able to control himself, he might have to go over there himself. As reckless as it was, he knew that he had a duty to uphold and leaving wouldn't serve anything. He wasn't as fit and young as he once had been and he knew that Helo would do everything he could to save the people on the Carina. He just hoped that he wasn't too late.

The whole corridor was filled with a thick red smoke that was so dense that it was difficult to see your hand in front of your face. The Admiral had said something about there being smoke and he thought that maybe he was on the right track. "Ok, look sharp, this looks like the place." Helo moved his torch around as much as he could, the darkness of the corridor didn't help the fact that the smoke was just as covering. It would be impossible to navigate yourself through this without light.

It was suffocating the way that it swirled around you, and disorientated you. He wondered if they had gotten out or gotten somewhere safe. He looked around once more and then he felt something hit against his boot. Helo moved his hand to the object on the floor and picked it up, a standard military torch that many of the officers used. He scanned the floor some more in hopes of finding something else. He kneeled down so he could get a better look.

BANG.

Helo looked up, pulling his gun out and pointing it down the corridor. The sound of footsteps came from that direction and he moved back, telling the marines around him to get into the sides. The rest of the marines came racing towards them and with the minimal visibility, knocked into them, sending a few of them to the floor with a great thud.

Helo pushed the officer off of him and sat up. "What's going on?"

"We got your order, sir, about joining you. Something isn't right though, we heard shots and not everyone has been accounted for." The marine stood up and leaned against the bulkhead, the red smoke circling around him.

"Ok, I want everyone into defence formation. I know it's hard to see but we have to arm ourselves just in case."

Helo moved to the back, marines all crowded around, quatting and leaning against bulkheads. "I want you two to get out of the smoke and see what you can see. This stuff can give us covering."

The sound of bullets rang in the distance. Someone was coming.

"Ten souls out on your command, sir," Geoffrey said, rolling a piece of paper up in his hand.

"It's all going according to plan. The Galactica sent down some marines and we are going to dispose of them."

"Of course, I knew that they were going to send marines. I know what will happen today and tomorrow. You should know that by now Geoffrey." He stretched out his long fingers and adjusted himself in his chair. "It was a good thing that you know how to fly a raptor, otherwise you would still be stuck down on that ship."

"I think that my withholding the fact that I was a raptor pilot washout was a good idea, otherwise I would have been drafted onto Galactica a long time ago, sir. It was also fortunate that they brought two raptors with them. It was also lucky that the transponder was easy to destroy."

"Well, I'd say it wasn't fortunate. I'd say it was meant to happen. Everything happens for a reason. It says so in 'The Book,' and you should know that." He flicked open the pages in front of him and glanced down. "You say that you were a raptor washout? Well that could come in handy…"

"Sir?"

"Day 23 is going to be very eventful. Now, I want you to go and fill out the duties I have set you. We know what will happen on that ship, the marines will die, Apollo and Starbuck will die and that leaves us with a little more leverage," he laughed menacingly and stared at Geoffrey. "I just adore how accurate this book is. If only day 28 were complete."

Shots continued to fire around Helo as he sidestepped into a small alcove out of the line of fire. A handful of the marines that were with him were down or injured and with the smoke it was just impossible to see what was going on. He just knew that nobody was responding to him.

A uniformed body moved past him quickly so he stuck out his arm and pulled the man into the alcove with him. "What's going on?"

The man wriggled out of his grasp and stood himself up properly. "I don't know, sir, there are at least half a dozen men out there. They're in red suits and they have some serious arms on them."

"Ok," Karl looked down at his oxygen gage and shook his head, this was getting ridiculous."Right, we need to hurry, we don't know how much longer Starbuck and Apollo have left. So, this is what I want you to do…"

"Admiral Adama, sir," Gaeta said, walking quickly over to the dradis console. "I think you need to look at this." His hands were filled with a few blue pieces of paper. Drawings and notes were written around numbers and symbols.

Bill looked down from the monitors to Gaeta's worried face. He let go of the console and followed him. "What is it?" Bill kept one eye on the monitors around him as he walked speedily to the corner of the CIC.

"Well, sir, I didn't know what to think of it first, but one of our raptors left the Carina only a few minutes before Helo arrived. The transponder stopped working almost as soon as it set out into space. I didn't know if you had noticed, sir." He lifted up his papers and pointed at a line of code, numbers and shorthanded notes.

Bill stared at the paper, totally struck by the fact that he has missed such a thing. "No I didn't. Well spotted."  
"It was the raptor that Lee piloted to the Carina, sir. I don't think it was our men that flew it away. The only qualified pilots that were on that mission were Starbuck and Apollo. It just doesn't make sense."

"Do we know of its intended location at all? Could you get a reading on where it was going?"

"No, Sir. It could be anywhere in the fleet right about now."

"Was anything sent out from the raptor? Scrambled voice messages?"

Gaeta looked down at his papers and then peered at his monitor, pressing a few keys before a green message displayed on the screen. "There was, but I can't get a hold of the exact location. I don't know if I could decode it. I mean, all voice calls are recorded, like the flight footage for training purposes, as you know. Scrambled messages are stored as basic outlines, like an imprint. I could try and decode it, but it will be very difficult and if not highly improbable."

Bill nodded his head, understanding how difficult it was to decode scrambled messages. Very few people had gotten a grasp on it. "Yes I understand. Get me the names of all of the qualified Raptor pilots, washouts, trainees or anything like that. I won't have anyone stealing military property, especially if it has anything to do with what's going on. When you've done that then I'd like you to start on the message."

"Yes, sir."

Bill shook his head and walked back to the console, his gaze briefly catching Laura's who was keeping her distance, taking it in the situation. It was unlike her not to be at the console itself in times of crisis, trying to do her thing as President and back him up.

"Galactica this is Helo, we're under some serious fire at the moment. There's at least half a dozen heavily armed men here taking shots at the marines. Still no sign of Apollo and Starbuck…"

Helo fiddled with his headpiece as all he could hear was crackling. The men around him were waiting for his signal as they lined up against the bulkheads and small alcoves around him. He shined his torch through the red smoke and towards the gun fire. "Ok, you know what you have to do. They have us backed up like a herd of cattle and we are not going to let them cause anymore damage, do you hear me? All of you need to be careful. You four are going to head down that corridor there and see where it leads. Hopefully it backs up into another corridor so you can give them the element of surprise. You three are to stay with me ok. Now, go."

An array of footsteps began and Helo moved forward, turning his torch off and peering into the smoke carefully, hoping to see something through its thickness. The small edge of the alcove came towards him and he leaned against it, the noises of the marines around him were close, so he knew they were doing as planned. The bullets were still firing and they all had to press themselves as flat against the metal as they could. When they were all close enough for him to see he signalled with his hands to drop to their stomachs and began moving quickly and quietly towards where the smoke was less dense so they could get sight of their attackers.

A tall marine moved up beside Helo and the four of them dragged themselves as quietly as they could, trying to be as careful as they did not to rip their suits on the floor. When Helo began to see the smoke thin out he raised his hand and peered carefully through the swirling redness. Ten metres away there were outlines of ten heavily armed men in red suits shooting aimlessly into the smoke, their faces set in a grim smile as they carried on shooting into the darkness. It was still dark, but all of their attackers had head torches which shone brightly through the darkness. Helo brought his gun up and aimed. The collection of clicks and movement surrounded him, showing that the marines were ready.

They began shooting.

They took the men by surprise and they shot down at least five of the men before they realised where they were in the smoke. A collection of guns began shooting at them and Helo stood up quickly, dragging the man next to him back into the smoke for cover.

Only one more marine came back with him.

They could hear shouting and mumbling coming from through the smoke and Helo held onto his gun with such an intense grip that he could feel his fingers creak under the pressure. There was no way that he was going to die here. He was going to find Apollo and Starbuck and get them back to Galactica. Failing wasn't an option, and neither was death.

"Sir, we need to get into a decent form of cover before they head down here."

"The others should be back soon if they haven't found a successful exit. We need to hold our position and take out as many of those bastards as we can."

"What do you suggest we do?"

"We head back out there, against the bulkheads as they still think we're on the floor. You can tell by the sound of the bullets. Then, we do it again, and take out as many of them as we can until the others get back. Ok?" Helo jammed another round of ammo into his gun and wiped at his mask so he could see a bit better. The smoke was leaving some sort of watery residue on it, preventing him from seeing as well as he could. "Ok, now, lets go."

All three of them moved slowly against the metal, side-stepping their way along the corridor until they came to the edge of the smoke again. Helo lifted his gun up towards his face and aimed.

As he began shooting a big fist came out of nowhere knocking him back four paces and making him land heavily on the floor. When he looked around he could see the other two marines lying flat out on the floor around him. He leaned forward to get up but someone jumped heavily on his chest, knocking the wind out of him. Helo, with as much strength as he could muster, thrust his hand into the guys neck and began pushing him backwards, trying to get him off of his chest. The man, who was the size of a small tank, jammed his fist into his face making his vision blur slightly as he lashed out. A light shone across his body and he watched as the hand of the man pulled out a shiny metal knife and ran it menacingly along his stomach, threatening to either stab him or make small holes in his suit. Either way, he wasn't going to let him try. He swung with as much effort as he could at the man's head, knocking him back slightly, giving him a bit of leverage to be able to shove the man off of him.

As he stood, he looked around for his gun so he could take the guy out, the man came out of nowhere punching him hard in the head, the thin white suit and small material helmet not giving him much protection. The punch sent him further back into the smoke and further away from his men. Another punch hit him hard in the stomach and Helo had to drop to his knees, his stomach muscles spasmed from the impact.

Helo lay on the floor panting for breath, his stomach and lungs aching from the impact and the increased need to take in air. He put his arm up against the bulkhead and grabbed hold of whatever it was that was sticking out so he could get himself to his feet. He took a long deep breath of oxygen to steady himself before moving back towards his gun. He didn't see his attacker before he punched him hard in the side of the head, knocking him back to the floor and nearly knocking him unconscious. All Helo could see was the swirling of the smoke around him, stars and the glinting of the knife was being held above him. He watched as the steel swung over him and then move quickly towards his stomach. He closed his eyes for the impact as he felt his hands get shoved down by the knees of the great tank above him.

Bang.

The attacker landed flat on him, the knife falling to the side of Helo, who was now panting with relief. He pushed the man off of him and looked behind him to see a gun and a hand. Whoever it was had just saved his life.

Helo got up slowly, holding his stomach and steadying himself as his vision swam in front of him. He moved slowly towards the attacker who had strangely dropped the gun to the floor.

"Why do I always have to help save your ass? You owe me, Helo. I want a nice bottle of ambrosia for that."

Helo shot forward and took hold of Starbuck's arm who was swaying very unsteadily on her feet with the limp body of Lee at her side. She coughed and moaned before falling forward, Helo catching her and holding her up. "Frak. Starbuck stay with me, ok? Is there anyone else with you?"

"No," she coughed. "It's just us." Kara mumbled something before falling unconscious and going completely limp in Helo's arms. He could hear the distant sound of gunfire and decided that he should see what's going on before he risked taking her and Apollo out into the unaffected air. It wouldn't be any good if they got shot.

After placing her back on the floor he picked up her gun and ran down the corridor, keeping to the side. As he came out into the open all he could see was a mass of crumpled up men in red uniforms with the remainder of his men standing over them, their guns still smoking. It looked as if the men that went off down the other corridor had found their way back and were responsible for the defeat of the enemy,

"Sir, we got them all."

Helo nodded his head and let out a huge sigh. "Ok, I want you two to go and get the wounded marines. I want you two to come help me get Starbuck and Apollo."

"You found them, sir?"

"No, Starbuck found us. Now come on, we don't know how serious their injuries are."

When Helo arrived back to where Starbuck was still unconscious and he, along with the other marine picked up Starbuck and Apollo and dragged them out towards the hangar bay where the raptors were. There were a lot of injured marines in total, a lot with flesh wounds and a small number dead.

Helo lay Starbuck down on the floor and lifted the torch that he had acquired towards him and played with his radio. "Galactica, this is Helo, we've got injured men down here that need medical attention. And, Sir, we found them."

Bill's body leaned heavily against the dradis console and he rested himself there, breathing in deep as he heard the positive mumbling of voices around him. A deep resonating feeling of pure relief was flowing through his body and he took off his glasses and looked up. They were alive. There had been so many different occasions when he thought that he would have reason to grieve, a process that he didn't do well. After Zach it had all been different. Losing a child was probably the worst thing he had ever been through. It cut him deep and the wounds would never heal, and if he knew that his other son was dead…well he wouldn't know what to do.

Small delicate fingers wrapped lightly around his arm, in a discrete fashion, squeezing lightly before they moved up to his shoulder. "Thank the Gods," Laura whispered, giving him another gentle squeeze.

"I want two raptors down there now to help bring the wounded back." His body turned to Tigh who was glancing at the monitors above, mumbling something about, 'frakking idiots.' "I want you to keep an eye on the fleet. If anything is out of place then let me know."

Laura stepped back, removing her hand from his shoulder. "I think something is going to have to be done about the levels of security in the fleet, Admiral. This is just getting absurd. We have to minimise the risk and minimise the damage."

Bill turned to her, her voice a whisper above his rapidly beating heart. He still didn't know the condition of his son and whether he was going to make it. His eyes washed over her face and the sincere look of concern on her face for the fleet, Kara and Lee. "Yes, we are." He turned again to Tigh who was waiting his orders. "I want this fleet on high security. No travelling between ships is allowed unless permitted by me or the President. If we minimise the movement we minimise the risk."

"I think that the people are going to be very itchy over this-"

"We'll have to hold a press conference then. I don't need any speculation across the fleet over what's going on. We'll have to sort that out later. I have to go down to the sickbay now."

Laura nodded her head with agreement and stood next to Billy who was still standing with his mouth open, obviously still in shock. "Did you hear that, Billy? You need to arrange a press conference."

"Yes, Ma'am. Do you know when you want to hold it? I mean, you have a meeting tomorrow afternoon, remember?" He pulled out his little notebook and flicked through the pages, scanning over masses of notes and writing. "Yep, apart from that meeting everything else is free. I can schedule it for tomorrow morning?"

"That should be fine, Billy." Laura nodded and continued watching Bill who had just put the phone down. He was obviously waiting for the raptors to begin their journey back to the Galactica.

"Lieutenant Gaeta, any luck?"

Gaeta looked up from his work and looked over to the Admiral who was looking at him with anticipation. He stood up, taking his papers with him and walked over to the console. "Well, I have the list of people. What would you like me to do with them, sir?"

Bill thought for a moment and pulled the sheet of paper from his hand. "Are there many civilians on the list?"

"Only a handful, sir. All of the men and women with qualifications like that have been drafted onboard the Galactica."

"Well, I want a group of people to go out and question these people. I want to know what they were doing during this time. As for the people onboard the Galactica, they need to be checked too. If anyone was missing from their duties I want them brought to me." Bill handed the paper back to Gaeta. "Any luck on the message?"

Gaeta shook his head and placed the papers back into order. "No, sir. I'm currently running the computer over the sequence looking for certain patterns and hexadecimal coding. Although I think that they aren't coded with normal patterns and such, I'm doing my best to look for anomalies and chains of coding that look familiar." Gaeta straightened himself up. "I'm doing my best, sir."

Bill nodded his head. "I know. That will be all, Lieutenant." Bill glanced nervously at the monitors above him, waiting for the raptor signal to appear on the dradis so he could make his way down to sickbay.

The little red dot appeared on the screen and Bill's stomach knotted. He took a deep breath and nodded to Tigh who returned the gesture and walked towards the console, signalling that he was ready to take over whilst Bill went to see the situation of his son and Kara.

Laura, who was now waiting by the exit of the CIC stood and watched Bill walk speedily towards her, his face set in a determined expression. "I'd like to come with you, if that's ok?"

Bill, who was too busy thinking about the wellbeing of his son just nodded and continued his walk towards the sickbay. Laura's guard followed her as she walked behind Bill. Billy was trotting at her side, as both of them tried to keep up with Bill who was streaking ahead, obviously concerned and very worried. "I pray to the Gods that they're alright," Laura said as she looked nervously at Bill.

As they got closer to the their destination, Laura felt a sharp pain shoot through her stomach, making her slow slightly as she battled with the pain. All she had to do was keep it together for just a little longer and then she would be able to lie down and get Cottle to check her over. She didn't have to wait too long. Another shooting pain, this time with such force that she had to stop to get her breath as it ricocheted inside of her, making her feel slightly winded at its impact. Like a sledgehammer to the gut, Laura doubled over as she felt her lower abdomen come alive with a burning sensation and severe discomfort.

Billy, who had noticed her lag behind turned to see her leaning against the cold metal bulkhead, her body bent over and a small moan of pain escaped her lips. He ran forward to her and put his arm across her shoulders. "Are you ok, Madam President?"

Laura stood up and exhaled sharply, determined to make it to the sickbay on her own two feet. She waved her hand in front of Billy and carried on walking. As she straightened herself she felt the pain ease slightly and carried on walking, hoping that it was just a brief spell.

Bill, who was now a good forty paces ahead turned when he heard a low moan of pain from behind him. Curious to where it was coming from he peered around the corner of the corridor and saw Laura on her knees, her arms wrapped around herself and a horrible look of agony etched across her face. Billy was knelt down by her side, his hand across her back. When he looked up he could see the Admiral and called him over. Bill turned to the nearest officer and grabbed him by the collar. "I want you to get the Doctor. NOW!"

Laura was now seated on the floor, unable to keep herself standing as the pain ripped through her insides, making her head thump and her whole body quiver. She felt a strong pair of hands rest on her shoulders and she looked up weakly, the outline of an older face and a pair of glasses looking down at her. Sounds began merging together and her vision swam, blurring and merging into one big mass of colours. Unable to focus on her surroundings she concentrated on getting rid of the pain, her hand moving aimlessly to her side, hoping to find her pocket and the pills on the inside.

"Sir, Doc Cottle is seeing to Captain Adama and Lieutenant Thrace."

Bill looked down at her unfocused eyes and pale face and then to the officer who was giving him the information that his son was onboard. Did he get the Doctor, taking him away from his son? Trying to keep level-headed, he bent forward further. "Can you stand?"

Laura could make out the faint outline of a rough voice that sounded so very familiar. She tried focusing on it and bringing herself back into some sort of coherent form. Another pain ripped through her stomach and she felt her head swim with dizziness.

Bill didn't get a reply and he grabbed hold of her arms, and watched as she went limp in his arms. "Frak," he whispered under his breath. Not wanting to waste any of his time, he lifted her up off of the ground and instead of getting the Doctor to her, he was going to take her to the Doctor.

When Bill arrived at the sickbay he could see Cottle bent over Kara who, as far as he could tell, looked awful. Her face was pale and her lips as red as the most crimson coloured blood. Cottle had her mouth open and a small wooden stick in her mouth. The cotton sheets that were around her highlighted how pale she had become and how ill she looked. The stick, which he had used to swab on the inside of her mouth came out covered in a thick red substance and Bill saw Cottle swear and put out his cigarette.

The noise of the people entering the sickbay caused Cottle to look up and upon seeing the president lying unconscious in Bill's arms he rolled his eyes and pointed to a bed in the corner, taking out another cigarette.

"What a frakking day this turned out to be." He moved the covers out of the way and waited for Bill to lay her down.

Bill stepped back and gazed over the room, looking over the occupants of the beds and let out a huge sigh. Things were never simple in the fleet, and it seemed that they had just reached a new and previously untopped level.

The lighting in the small room was minimal, but the small red lights that lined the metal bulkhead surface penetrated the darkness as best they could. He was seething with anger at the news that the marines had gotten off of the ship, along with Apollo and Starbuck who were, as far as he was aware, still in the realm of the living. Looking down at the book with a thin form of hatred, he pulled open the pages and began analysing the words for this day and the day after, determined to find some flaw in its text so he could justify the current situation. Everything so far, to the smallest detail had gone according to plan and now he was sat, with his blood boiling at a very unhealthy level.

His finger skimmed over one of the final paragraphs on the page, reading the lines and piecing as much information together as he could. There had to be something that would lead him to the reason why the plan, which had been carefully outlined in the pages, hadn't been successful. Nothing shone up at him.

"Sir?" came the voice of Geoffrey who was standing in the doorway, a small tray in his hand.

"You say you followed everything to the letter? Everything I outlined for you? His voice was bitter and he lifted his gaze to Geoffrey's.

"I did, sir."

"You made sure that the interference would make communication with the ship as bad as possible?"

"Yes, sir. I installed the device myself. Made sure it functioned properly and everything."

"You made sure that the ventilation was turned off?"

Geoffrey gulped and nervously twitched, making the metal tray bang against the doorway. "Ventilation?"

The grip that he had on his chair intensified and he shot up, lifting his gun to face the man standing in the doorway. "Yes, the ventilation. The gas, when combined with water vapour and a warm surrounding turns into a thick red mucus-like liquid, suffocating the people who breathe it in. Also, the substance contains a nice little chemical that makes it as painful as possible. BUT," he shouted, moving forward, his gun raised higher. "How is it going to be effective if perhaps the stupid frakking moron I trusted to do this work didn't do his job? Ventilation, supplies oxygen you frakking idiot. If, by chance they were able to fall near a duct or fan they wouldn't have the full effect of the smoke."

Geoffrey gulped and stepped back as the gun got closer and closer to him. "I'm sorry. You didn't mention anything about ventilation…really, you didn't." The gun was now pressed against his forehead and he closed his eyes.

The book was still in his hand and he lifted it up to his face, angling the pages so they faced the light so he could read them. The red light shone on the pages and he could make out an outline of writing which hadn't been there before. The Red light was obviously like U/V light and highlighted the special ink. He pushed Geoffrey back and moved the page closer so he could read it.

_"A test. Although sometimes we do not succeed, it doesn't mean that we will fail. The plan will not succeed in the fashion in which you wish. These people that you try and move out of the way will not die. A lesson to you- know your opponent before you try and get rid of them. Apollo and Starbuck are keys to the future. The Cylons will not get rid of them, so nor will you."_

He placed the gun into his belt and mumbled angrily. "This may be your lucky day. But, hear me now. If this plan doesn't come together how I want it, you will pay. I will make sure that your last hours are the most painful you have ever experienced." He pulled his arm back and sent it against the front of Geoffrey's face, sending the huge man flying back at least three feet. Success was his only option.


	5. Lets Not Start Something We Can't Finish

**Chapter 5- "Lets Not Star Something We Can't Finish."**

A strong hand took hold of Bill's shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. "You hangin' in there?"

Bill turned slowly and caught the eye of Colonel Tigh who was stood behind him, watching the medics and doctors run around the sickbay, putting their skills to good use. It was unnerving to watch when you didn't understand the complexities of medicine. All around the room, you could hear various words and phrases that sounded like another language. How were you meant to grasp what's going on when the world is no longer speaking of what you understand?

"Bill?" Tigh said, moving to his friends side.

Bill had heard him, but had chosen to ignore him. Saul knew him well enough and he knew that was the way that he operated. If he were to carry on with things then Saul would understand that he was coping. He doubted that his best friend had seen him in a state of not being able to cope for a long time. That would involve a lot of anger and lashing out, and he didn't like doing that. "Do we have any more news?" Bill said, his concentration and gaze still resting on the three beds before him.

Tigh nodded his head. "We certainly frakking do, and that's why I came down here. We need you back. Helo has some more information that he picked up from the cameras."

Bill turned his head slightly and looked at Tigh from the corner of his eye. "What is it?"

"You're not going to frakking believe this, Bill, seriously. Come on," he turned and opened the hatch, waiting for his friend to pull himself away from the mess before them. Tigh could see the concern etched across his face like a line in the sand and he watched as Bill pulled himself away, all of his willpower stopping him from standing there for the rest of the night, observing and protecting.

The long walk through the ship was quiet, Bill not keeping up with conversation, his mind too busy and distant for him to maintain any kind of thought process. The pair of them veered into a room where the lights had been turned up and the projector pulled out. Helo was stood facing them with a handful of papers and a grim expression on his face.

"Sir," Helo said, bringing his hand to a salute.

"What've we got then, Lieutenant?" Bill said, taking a seat in front of the projector, adjusting his glasses as he looked up.

Helo turned the projector on and pushed an image onto the screen. When Bill looked closely at the scorched metal he could see quite clearly the imprint of a Cylon's head, seared into the metal just above the explosion site. "A Cylon?"

"This was taken by Starbuck, sir, at one of the explosions sites. It's an imprint, someone did this after the explosions, so they were done on purpose." Helo clicked the button, rolling on another photo. "These men here were all wearing red suits. Each of them had that same imprint on their arms. They're obviously connected to the explosions, sir."

Bill looked at the slide, the dead bodies lying on the floor, the Cylon mark on their arm. "Any survivors?"  
Helo shook his head. "No, sir. We had no option to take them prisoner, they were too heavily armed for us to take them out without killing them."

Bill nodded. "So, what do you think this means?"

Saul picked up a red flyer to the side of him and placed it in front of Bill. "It's the Cylon worshippers. They're out of control."

Bill had feared that as soon as he had seen the marks on the men. Tigh had been right all along. A sickening feeling rose in Bill's stomach. If he had been a bit more on top of things, if he had listened to his second in command, then maybe they wouldn't be in this mess. Maybe things would be better and a lot less of a hassle. They could've found the cure for Laura. Lee and Kara would be in the rec room now, playing cards instead of lying in their hospital beds. "That'll be all, Lieutenant."

Helo nodded his head, placed the files on the desk and exited the room. "I'm sorry, Saul." Bill said, putting his head in his hands and then running them over his tired face.

"What the frak for?" Tigh said, sitting down in the seat next to Bill.

"You were right, we should have sorted them out sooner."

Tigh didn't say anything, he just looked awkwardly to the side, straightening himself up. "Yes, well, what are we going to do now?"

Bill stood up and pulled the papers and sheets from the desk and opened them. "We, my friend, are going to come down on them like a ton of bricks."

Tigh caught the angry glint in his friend's eye and leaned forward, interest washing over him. "How so?"

"Do you not remember in the meeting the other day? The president arranged a meeting with these people, to suss out what they wanted. I don't care what anybody thinks or says, I am throwing whoever comes onto this ship with the intentions of speaking with her, into the brig. We are going to get as much information out of them as we can."

Tigh nodded his head. "What are you going to tell the President? I don't think she'll be happy with the idea of you throwing people into the brig."

"The President will probably not be well enough to even entertain such a 'meeting,' and I'm not letting any of them go, this has gotten way out of hand." Bill placed everything back in the folder and peered back over at Tigh. "I think after everything she'll see sense anyway. I'll have to speak to her when she comes to."

Tigh nodded his head. "I'll get some men on it then."

"I'll come see you when I've spoken to the President. You're in command until I come back to the CIC. I'll be in the sickbay if you need me." Bill nodded and exited the room quietly, his mind still distracted and his brain tired from the days events.

Bill stood at the middle of the room, the sounds of machines and monitors beeping at random intervals around him, reminding him constantly that he was in the sickbay. Both Kara and Lee were still unconscious but their bodies stable. Laura was in a bed to the right of theirs, resting peacefully, surrounded by the thin curtains at her request, blocking everyone but the Doctor out.

When Bill thought about it, it was almost like his world was crashing around him. It wasn't the same world he knew before the attack, but it was the world that had formed around him as the days and months had progressed in the fleet. There weren't many people out there that had become part of this twisted version of the old reality he knew, but the majority of the ones that had become a part of it were all in the sickbay. He had been an old and nearly retired Commander whose duties had revolved around the old Battlestar in which was, like him, to be retired. Then he was thrust into the deep dark depths of the universe with a rag-tag fleet and the overwhelming pressure to keep the whole human race safe.

There were always risks to being in the military. There were always things that could happen, things that could go wrong, but it still didn't make it ok when they did arrive. They were in a war. They were running for their lives and here he was, three of the people that played a major part in his current reality, lay before him on the thin cotton sheets of a standard military sickbay, ill and fighting for their lives because of some petty civilians who couldn't seem to grasp hold of what was right. The Cylons were not Gods, creators and supreme beings. They were simply creations of the ever-evolving and ever-pressing creativity of human minds gone wrong.

Horribly wrong.

Humans had gone against each other for centuries. Whether it be over food, water, lovers or just because they had an absurd passion to kill. However, it still didn't make sense to him how it could go on now, when their lives were in jeopardy. How anyone could bring themselves to a point where they went against what they were trying to save for a bunch of metal headed toasters? It made him angry.

Another beep.

The curtain around Laura's bed opened and the chain smoking doctor exited, shaking his head and mumbling something, which to Bill sounded like 'stubborn.' The Doc then proceeded to lift up a flip-chart and scribble on a piece of paper before returning it to the little metal casing to the right of the curtain. He inhaled the final drag of his cigarette and put it out quickly inside a small kidney dish on a small metal trolley. Bill watched as he walked to his office. A small cough rattled out from behind the curtain and Bill moved over to it before wrapping his hands around them and pulling them to one side, walking in.

Laura lay curled up like a foetus beneath the bright white cotton sheets, her hand lying against her brow covering her eyes and her other hand resting gently on her stomach. The short shallow breaths signalled that she was in some sort of pain and she was having a rough time. Bill quietly pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat down.

"You should be with your son, Bill," she said from behind her hand, obviously hearing him enter and sit down. "How are they?"

Bill looked briefly down at the ground before peering back up at her, her previously hidden gaze now directed at his face. "They're doing well so far. Cottle is keeping them under for a little longer so he can keep their bodies stable. As far as he can tell there isn't going to be any permanent damage. They should be just fine."

Laura gazed at his face sympathetically before reaching her hand out to him. Bill lowered his eyes to the floor when he took it, his feelings accumulating inside of him. The truth was he didn't want to go over to Lee and Kara just yet, he would rather wait until they were conscious. Being near them would heighten his guilt and make it unbearable. It wasn't like him to feel guilt, but, he couldn't help but let it muster inside of him. What else was he meant to do? Events took place and you were meant to deal with them to minimise the damage. However, he hadn't, had he? Tigh had caught onto these people before him and he had now endangered his son and Kara because of it. If he hadn't listened to Baltar but to Tigh instead- well, things would be different. There was a high probability that Lee and Kara were going to be ok. Laura, however, nobody could speculate on her odds as there were so many possibilities. Baltar still didn't have anything, Bill hadn't found anything and he was pretty sure that Kara hadn't found anything when he had asked her to check footage. So, Laura was stuck on a deserted island as Bill and the rest of the humanity sailed away on a ship, and every time he threw out a line to her, the ship moved further and further away. The truth of the matter was Bill was scared of losing her.

Laura squeezed his hand gently as he continued to gaze at the floor. She didn't know if he was coping. She wasn't sure if he needed her, so, just to clarify she gave him another squeeze of encouragement. "I'm here, Bill, if you need me, you know that don't you?"

"Of course I do," he murmured. "It's just-"

"Right," coughed Cottle, ripping the curtains open. "I need words with the both of you. Baltar will be here in a few minutes, but I have a few things to say before he gets here." He pulled his cigarette out of his mouth and pointed it at Laura. "You, young lady, are going to cause yourself some serious damage if you carry on the way you are going. First, you delay telling us about the pain in your neck and then you end up here less then 12 hours later! Can you tell me why you didn't come here straight away when you started feeling the discomfort in your stomach?"

Laura side glanced to Bill who was now staring at her with a quizzical expression. "I didn't think…"

"Damn right you didn't. You are one of the most stubborn people I've ever met. I'm hoping, Admiral, that you are going to make this one see sense. It's bad enough that you are in this situation, Madam President, but to neglect and abuse your bodies signs is frakking ridiculous. Two weeks on the outside, I said, two weeks! It could be less than that. You need to be more careful. We need as much time as we can so we can get rid of this." Cottle took a drag on his cigarette and scrunched his angry face at Laura. "Am I making myself clear?"

Laura nodded her head and brought her legs up to her chest. "Yes, you do."

Cottle looked down at Bill. "Seriously, you need to keep an eye on this one."

Bill looked to Laura and then to Cottle. "Don't worry, I'm going to from now on." So his suspicions had indeed been correct about her, she had been keeping things from him. Obviously, he was happy that it hadn't been worse but it still made him angry. She hadn't told him. Why would she not tell him about it? In terms of secret keeping, Bill was certainly the strongest and would never tell anybody about it. Did she not trust him? Was it something he'd done or said? She had said before that trust was important, so why wasn't she trusting him? He looked at her for a moment and he let go of her hand as he watched her take it back awkwardly. Her secret had been discovered and she didn't look too comfortable with that.

"Is it ok if I come in?" Gaius mumbled nervously from behind the curtain.

"Yes, get your ass in here now," Cottle shouted, pulling the curtain to one side and dragging Gaius into the area by his jacket.

Gaius, looking around at all the faces nodded nervously and moved to the unoccupied side of the bed. "Madam President, Admiral Adama, Good day to you."

"So, do you have the paperwork?" Cottle spat, putting his hands in his oversized pockets.

"Yes. Is it ok for me to read them out to you, Madam President?" Gaius said looking at the Admiral as he said it, being the only one to want to keep the patient confidentiality part up at the present moment, Cottle obviously feeling it necessary to involve the Admiral.

"Of course," she smiled lightly.

"Well, you had a severe reaction to the pain medication we gave you."

"I thought you said they would not interact?" Laura said calmly peering at Doc Cottle.

"Well, that doesn't mean that they wouldn't react. It seems that the chemical in your blood causes a rather violent reaction with one of the compounds in the pills. How many did you take, if you don't mind me asking?"  
Laura raised her eyebrows as she thought about the hours beforehand. "Well, I had two when I was here last and then, when I started feeling the stomach discomfort I took two more."

"That's exactly what I had feared," Baltar said, pulling out some paperwork. "The two you took when you were here before would have slowly reacted as the chemicals were digested and absorbed. You wouldn't have felt anything straight away, especially if you'd eaten something. As the compounds hit your bloodstream they would have reacted almost instantaneously, which was the stomach pain you felt. Then, having taken more pain medication, and with even the slightest increase in the compounds in the pills made it incredibly painful, which is, what I fear has happened to you."

"So, it's not getting worse then?" Bill said as he moved himself in the chair. "I mean, the chemical in her blood, it's not any worse then it was previously?"

"Well, when Doctor Cottle took a blood sample as you arrived, I checked it, and it has increased quite a bit in concentration, but it doesn't seem to be doing anything as of yet. I really do think you should remain in the sickbay for as long as possible."

"I feel much better," Laura said, not particularly wanting to stay in this room for any longer.

"Well, that's because of the drug we gave you, it's counteracting the reaction that took place." Gaius sat down in the other spare chair. "It seems that we can't risk you taking anymore pain medication, not until we're able to verify they won't react as badly as this one did…I think it was designed to do this so whoever is affected with it has to endure everything, every stage of its progress."

"I have meetings to attend to, one tomorrow in fact, that I have to go to. Do the sleeping pills react?"

"No, they don't, we checked those. But, please, Madam President, I really do recommend that you remain here so we can keep an eye on you. You are at a critical stage in all of this. How you handle this mentally and how your body handles it are very important in the overall length of time that you-you have…"

"That I have left…I see. I understand you, Dr Baltar, but there is a fleet out there that needs to Be seen to. There are decisions that need to be made and I-"

"I am the Vice President, I am certainly capable-"

"You're not listening to me. I took this role because I was the most senior member of the government. I am in charge of the fleet, the people and what goes on. I will not step down from my duties until I am either voted out or I am no longer fit to do so. I will remain on Galactica, a stones throw away from here and Doctor Cottle. It's not an ideal situation- not one for any of us in general, but it is something that I have to do. We very rarely see eye to eye, but I am hoping that you will respect my decision on this matter. The people need a leader, Dr Baltar, and that is me until the end."

Bill could see Baltar lean back in his chair, defeated by the pure fiery passion behind Laura Roslin's eyes. Although he didn't quite agree with what she was saying- endangering herself even more than she needed to- he could feel admiration burn inside of him like a flame. She was the people's president indeed and she was going to be until she could do no more. "Well, what do you suggest we do then if the President wishes to carry on with her duties?"

Cottle pulled open her chart. "Well, I want you in here every day so that I can check up on your blood work. I want you taking those pills every night before you go to bed. If you start to feel different, strange or if you feel any pain, I want you down here, no matter the time. I'm never far away. REST is important. As it has been said before, the more sleep you get, the longer you have and I need you to make sure that you adhere to that."

"Of course," Laura said, shifting her position on the bed.

"Right, well, I think that is all for now. I'm just going to go see the other two patients outside and then Baltar and I are going to go and see if we can combat this frakking thing." Cottle shoved an unlit cigarette into his mouth and lit it, nodding at Baltar who jumped up out of his chair and followed him.

Bill sat watching Laura who was now sat idly pulling at stray fibres on her comforter. It was obvious she was avoiding him now that she had been sprung, her motives behind keeping the pain from him were unknown, and it bothered him. When it came down to the wire, Bill thought that she would have kept him informed. Although she may not have done it because they were friends, she should have at least done it because of their positions as co-leaders of the fleet. If something were to happen to her, then he would need to know. Neglecting what they had was like a slap in the face, and not only did it bother him, it made him angry. It wasn't just anger because of her actions, it was anger because of the whole situation. Guilt, like so many other feelings, could manifest itself into anger. "You could have-"

"I know I could have," she mumbled. "But I didn't, Bill. Please," she said looking up into his eyes, the deep green pools pleading with him. "I did it for a reason, and I don't want you to be annoyed with me. I know I made a silly decision, but I thought it beneficial."

"How could keeping something like that from me be beneficial? How would it have been good if that had caused serious damage? How would have that have been good if it had killed you? I could have helped." Bill could feel his temper blossom in his chest as he spoke those words.

Laura looked away, embarrassed by the truths he was speaking. He was right- again- it could have been worse, but she knew that her motives were of a pure nature. When she looked up she could see the hurt behind his eyes. "I know that it could have been worse. I really do know that. Under these circumstances, I thought it the best thing to do. I wanted to handle this on my own."

"Is that what this has come down to?" Bill said bitterly, his voice quiet and hard. "After everything we've been through, you wanted to do this on your own? That's why?"

"That's not what I meant!" She said in a harsh whisper. "It-"

Bill stood from the chair his face set in an angry glare. He didn't know if it was the fact that she hadn't trusted him or the fact that he was having a terrible day, but he couldn't handle this conversation now. "You told me trust was important to you, Laura, and I don't know if you're being hypocritical or what, but I can't do this now." He turned away from her and left the confines of her 'room', his heart beating fast in his ears and his brain overloaded with regret.

Laura watched, tears pooling in her eyes as he walked away. It wasn't what she wanted at all. She had done this for him, to ease his pain and make it easier. She had wanted to be by his side if he needed her- when he needed her. Laura trusted him more than she trusted herself sometimes and it pained her to see him walk away, angry with her over something she did for him. It was clear he had misjudged her actions as being selfish and she was regretting not telling him, but she had done what she had needed to do. It was like a part of her leaving as he walked through the open hatch. She wiped the stray tears from her face and looked up, the sympathetic look of Dr Cottle peering at her as he slowly closed the curtain.  
"You don't know what you've got until it's gone," she whispered, before lying down and closing her eyes, hoping that something would swallow her whole.

Bill stomped down the corridor, his face set in a glare and his posture signalling his anger. People moved out of his way, looking anxiously at him as he ploughed through open hatches and down crowded corridors. It was wrong for him to be angry at her when he knew she did need him, but he couldn't help it. It was wrong for him to be directing his anger at her solely; everything from the past few days ploughing over him like a bulldozer and it was being aimed directly at her. She had tipped him over the edge and now the bullseye was on her chest. She should have trusted him. It was even worse because she meant so much to him.

The door flew open to the CIC and Bill stormed down to the dradis console where Tigh and Gaeta were looking over reports. "Status," Bill boomed making Tigh look up quickly from the paperwork.

"The fleets quiet." Tigh said, eyeing Bill up suspiciously, sensing his bad mood.

"Any news?" Bill said sternly as he moved around to where they were standing, looking down at the papers that were spread there.

"Well, sir," Gaeta said, moving towards Bill. "Apparently the civilians that used to be onboard the Carina were transported to various ships a few days ago."

"What?" Bill shouted. "How is that possible? We make contact with those ships daily and  
nothing has been said. Do we know who ordered it?" Bill's temper was steadily blossoming into a flower of rage, burning inside of his chest like a brushfire. It was all going wrong. The stupid thing was, it wasn't the Cylons, it was the humans that were bringing the fleet crumbling down. Someone out there was laughing at them, mocking them, looking at them like they were ants scurrying around trying to protect their queen. How they managed to keep such a low profile he would never know, but he was going to find out.

"Well, we spoke to some of the captains and apparently it was sent on a colonial coded message that it's to remain quiet. Nothing transmitted to other ships, so it's as if it never happened."

"Where did the message come from?" Bill could hear his heart beating rapidly in his ears, the heat of his anger heating his face. He could feel a rage coming on. Something so strong that it was hard to control, much like the time he came across Leoben for the first time, pummelling him and killing him.

"We don't know," Gaeta said nervously.

Bill gripped the console, his knuckles white and his face hard. He steadied himself, letting his breathing calm him and his heartbeat slow. "This is frakking ridiculous. We're being played! How is it possible that someone out there is managing to do all of this under our noses?" He shouted, banging his fist against one of the nearby structures. "Lieutenant Gaeta, how's the scrambled message coming along?"

"Well, I've started unravelling the outer sequence of code, it's probably going to take another few days at least. The raptor pilots have all been accounted for too, sir, everybody was at their post. There is nobody on this list that doesn't have an alibi, or several for that matter." Gaeta watched the Admiral nervously, not having seen him in such a bad mood for a very long time.

"Frak," Bill mumbled, walking over to Tigh. "How the frak is this possible? How are they doing this, Saul? Right under our noses? They've managed to endanger so many lives, important ones too. They've managed to move civilians, take over a ship and all of that without us realizing a thing before it was too late."

"You gots me, Bill, these frakkers must be clever. I've got a few marines sorted for the meeting tomorrow. You know, for when whoever it is arrives. Everybody that was in the brig has been moved to other cells for the time being. Did you tell the President?"

Bill clenched his jaw and he felt his temper rise again. "No." He looked up at the dradis console. "Somebody is out there messing with us. I'm going to put a frakking stop to this."

Tigh watched as he balled his hand up into a fist. "Bill," he mumbled. "Are you ok? Is Apollo ok?"

"Fine. Yes…I want a report from every ship in the fleet."

"Containing what, sir?" Gaeta said, moving over to his terminal.

"I want reports on movements, unusual events, supplies going missing. Anything out of the ordinary." He turned to Tigh. "They have to be using things, don't they?"

Tigh nodded. "We're going to get these sons of bitches."

"We have to," Bill said, staring out across the CIC. When he realised that Tigh was still staring at him he turned around. "I'm going to my quarters, I'll be back in 15."

Tigh nodded his head and watched as Bill slumped out of the CIC, his fists still curled up into a ball. If he knew rightly, Bill was in a very foul mood and needed to vent.

As Bill walked hastily along the corridors of Galactica he could feel his temper eating him up on the inside, clawing to escape and lash out at the nearest person. The combination of stress, worry, anger and sadness were mixing and roiling around inside of him, topping off the anger that was in his chest. It was horrible. It felt as if someone was standing on either side and pushing against his body, compressing him, forcing everything in there to rise to the surface. Laura, Lee, Kara and the fleet…he closed his eyes and carried on, ploughing forward, determined to get to his quarters.

When his hand finally touched the hatch to his home he felt his chest heave and he took in a sharp intake of breath. The hatch swung open and he closed it behind him. As soon as he entered he walked over to his desk and sat heavily in his chair, taking out the ambrosia and pouring it into his glass. He swirled it around and watched it, then deciding against it, he placed the glass down on the table.

"Frak," he whispered, putting his head in his hands.  
Everything. All of it. Screwed. It was all getting to him. Laura might die and he hadn't done anything. Instead of listening, he had stormed out on her, leaving her alone. Leaving her alone in the sickbay. Lee and Kara, Helo, the fleet and his responsibilities. Nothing was going right and everything he had been feeling had accumulated inside him and it was all struggling to erupt at once. He put his face into his hands and tried to breath, letting the steam out slowly.

After a few moments he stood up and began pacing the length of his quarters, thinking about everything- thinking about nothing.  
Fear.  
Pain.  
Worry.  
Anger.  
Love.  
Hate.  
Jealousy.  
Pain.  
_Love._  
All of it coursing through his veins, overwhelming him, making him feel small. This was all the doing of someone out there. Someone who wanted Laura dead, someone that had tried to kill his son- his son. He balled his hand into a fist again and tapped his hand against the metal bulkhead.

_Crash._

In one long aggressive movement, Bill had knocked one of the nearby lamps over. Not satisfied by this he pushed over some more objects, sending them sprawling to the floor. He wanted to scream loudly and expel all of the negativity inside of him. Time was critical and it was running out. When he turned to look at his desk he knocked a pile of papers to the floor and then slumped back into his chair. He slammed his hand down onto his desk and then rested his head in his hands.

After a few minutes of steady breathing he felt his body and his temper cooling. It always amazed him how quickly he was able to pull himself from an angry slump, having needed to do it a few times since the fleet started its race for survival. When he raised his head he looked around at the mess and shook his head. When he bent down to start picking the scattered items up, he heard his phone buzz and he stood , placing pieces of the broken lamp into the bin.

"Admiral Adama," he mumbled down the phone, still looking at the mess. "Tell Cottle that I'm sorry I wasn't in CIC. I'll be down to the sickbay in a few moments." Bill hung up the phone and then walked to the hatch. He decided that he would clean it up later. Now, his son and Starbuck were priority.

Laura lay still in her bed, wiping at her eyes as she cried silently. Although she had a genuine reason for feeling this way, she still felt her emotions were all over the place, and it was a bit annoying. It was horrible being alone in such a dreadful place. She had never been one to enjoy spending time in the sickbay, surrounded by silence and the occasional mutter from the grumpy doctor. It was also strange to be here for so long, and although the longest she had ever been in this room was when she was about to die, she was in such a state that she slept through most of it. Unfortunately, she couldn't sleep now, as much as she wanted to.

Another beep went off and she felt her skin crawl as she felt her patience wane. She was alone in this place with a constant annoyance. Billy was off doing errands, having been to visit her earlier on. The medics and doctors were all busy, there was nobody around to talk to, to break the monotony. It was her and the machines. Company would ease her desire to escape, just someone to talk to her and keep here from going mad. She hadn't been ready for Bill's sudden departure, and now she was paying for it.

Another beep.

Doctor Cottle said he would be back soon to give her some sleep medication so she could rest until the morning, but she wasn't having it. It wasn't that she didn't want to sleep- Gods how she wanted to- she just couldn't handle being in this room any longer.

When she peered out of the small gap in the curtain she could make out Starbuck looking hazily around the room, her face blank and dreamlike, obviously just waking up. If that was the case then Cottle would have just gone to let Bill know, which meant he would be back soon. Alone or not, she didn't think she could handle his anger just yet. She had to give him a bit of time to cool down so she could explain herself properly, make him see that she really did need him and that she was only trying to protect him and his feelings.

She clambered out of her bed and pulled her clothes from the small bag on the floor beside her bed. Billy had fetched her clothing so that she had something fresh to change into when she was discharged. As always, Billy was on top of things. She pulled on her skirt and then unfolded her white blouse, wrapping it around her body, quickly doing it up, the chill of the sickbay prickling her bare flesh. The clothing smelled so clean and fresh and she briefly pushed her nose into her black jacket, inhaling the flowery smell that emanated from it. Then, hearing muttering outside, she pulled on her shoes. She picked up her bag and opened the curtains quietly.

"Madam President?" Starbuck croaked, peering over to her from her bed. She could make out the blotchiness under Laura's eyes, as if she'd been crying, and it unnerved the younger woman. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you, Lieutenant Thrace. How are you feeling?"

"Oh you know, like I'm drugged to the gills and somebody has scraped my windpipe out with a frakking chisel. Other than that, I feel just dandy."

"I'm glad to hear it. We were worried that something might have happened to you." Laura edged towards Cottle's office, wanting to get out as fast as she could.

"We?"

"Well, yes, everybody."

Starbuck sensed a myriad of feelings coming from the president. Sadness, pain, worry and uncertainty were coming off of her like a bad smell. Her eyes, watering in the dim light of the sickbay, the red rings around them signalling that she'd been crying and her slightly nervous disposition were an unusual sight for Starbuck. Laura Roslin kept herself as strong as possible, she'd heard that from the old man himself, but at the moment, the President looked as if she was going to crumble where she stood. It must be terrible to be so unsure about your own mortality. "We'll get them, you know, Madam President. The old man won't give up."

Laura felt her eyes burn and she nodded her head, giving a false smile. "I have to go wait in Doctor Cottle's office now. I wish you a speedy recovery," she said quietly before walking quickly into Cottle's office and closing the door. As she took a seat, she wiped her face and leaned forward to put her shoes on. She really couldn't stay here much longer.

Moments later she heard Cottle enter and then exclaim over her absence from the bed. The door handle creaked and she waited for him to enter.

"Frakking woman has done a runn-"

"I haven't gone anywhere, actually, Doctor."

Cottle looked at her and closed the door behind her. "Please tell me why you are dressed and not in your bed."

"I don't want to be here. I want to go back to my quarters."

"You look here-"

"Please, Jack," she pleaded. "I'd rather go back to my quarters and rest there. I will take the pills, believe me I will. I just don't want to be here anymore."

Cottle eyed her up suspiciously, noting her facial expression and voice tone. She wasn't a happy woman. Far be it for him to keep here, especially if it wasn't doing her any good. As long as she kept up with her sleep, it wouldn't be a problem for her to leave. He sat slowly behind his desk. "On your head be it. You still have the sleeping pills I gave you right?"

"I do, yes."

"Go to your room. Take two of them and get some frakking rest, will you!"

Laura nodded and smiled, totally appreciative of his actions. "Thank you. I'll be back here tomorrow to see you."

"Laura. Please, do yourself a favour and take care of yourself. You need to realise that you are the most important person at the moment. Really. You are an incredible woman, you've faced death head on and came out on top. Your body can't keep pulling stunts like that, you know. Just think."

Laura, who had walked over to the door, turned around to look at the Doctor. He wasn't a stupid man, in fact he probably noticed things that other people didn't. She knew what he was on about, but it wasn't how she worked. "I'll do my best."

"You better," Jack mumbled before pulling a clean packet of cigarettes from his draw.

With that, Laura made her way as quickly as she could. Her guard, who had been waiting outside, followed her as she walked to her room.

Bill walked quickly down to the sickbay, his feet stomping heavily across the metal floor. They were awake and he was glad to hear from the Doc that they were doing ok. It was a relief for him, a weight lifted off of his shoulders, making him feel so relieved.

When he finally got to the sickbay, he could clearly see Starbuck and Lee talking from bed to bed, their bodies animated and their faces covered with smiles. Bill had already been warned that they may seem very 'childlike' for a while, until the drugs wore off, but that didn't matter to Bill, he was glad they were alive.

"I wondered when you were going to show up," Starbuck joked, sitting up in the bed, pulling the covers closer around her. "Me and Lee were starting to get a bit bored."

"Yeah, speak for yourself. I was trying to sleep but she kept throwing things at me." Lee shouted, laughing and picking up pieces of paper and card from off of his bed.

Bill smiled, relief washing over him as he watched the pair banter in front of him like usual. They were ok. He walked over to the seat that was between the two beds and, before he sat down, he leaned over to Lee and wrapped his arms around him. "I'm sorry."

Lee pulled away. "What for?"

"I'm sorry, both of you. It's my fault that you were down there. I didn't realise we were being played."

"It's our job," Starbuck said, wrapping her arms around him as he gave her a warm and meaningful hug.

Bill nodded slowly and then sat down. "Are you feeling ok?"

"I was just going to ask you the same question. The old man's getting soft, Lee." Starbuck threw something over at Lee and then pulled the covers tighter around her.

"Cut me some slack, guys. We thought you were going to die." Bill looked at the both of them. "Seriously though, you feel ok?"

"Yeah. A bit sore here and there, but we're fine." Lee picked up the bit of paper that Starbuck had thrown at him and then dropped it to the floor.

"You're awake for little over ten minutes and you're already messing up my sickbay," Cottle snapped, exiting his office with a load of papers and sheets. "Knock it off. I'm not your personal maid."

Lee just grinned and the nodded his head. "So, Doc, what's the situation?"

"I was just about to explain, actually," he said, walking over to the beds. "The smoke that you were stuck in is made of fine organic substances. When they react under warm, moist environments it thickens into a gel. This is mighty dandy when the human body is like a moist oven. So, there you are, walking in this smoke and then, bam, your lungs begin filling up with goo. It's probably designed to suffocate people, and it nearly did that! You're both lucky. My guesses are that you must have passed out and then landed near an air duct or something."

"So, this goo, is it still there? I mean, will it cause any problems?" Lee said, peering over at Starbuck.

"No. It's a very clever chemical I must say. It breaks down into your basic compounds like carbon dioxide, oxygen and water. Another of my guesses is that after a short period of time, especially after it has suffocated the host, it breaks down, so it's gone like it was never there. Clever bit of chemistry. Hopefully you'll be fit and ready to leave soon enough, you two argue and bicker like nobody I have ever met!"

Bill smiled and looked at the pair of them. "Thanks, Jack."

"It's my job. Now, if you excuse me, I have to be somewhere," he puffed on his cigarette and then exited the sickbay.

"I'll need your reports from this. We need to start tightening up on security and everything at the moment. It's getting ridiculous. Starbuck, you know I asked you to look over video footage for me? Did you find anything?"

"No. Nothing out of the ordinary. I'm still stumped as to how the President got ill. Nothing suspicious at all. I checked practically everything and I couldn't see anything. Nobody out of the ordinary. I even asked Gaeta to check the raptors that went to and from Colonial One. Nothing. It's like the illness just appeared or something."

"I feared that." Bill sighed and leaned back into his chair, exhausted from the days events. "I want you two to rest as much as you can while you're here. We're going to need everybody as fit as possible over the next few days. We need to be on top of things so we can find the frakkers who are doing this to the fleet."

"Yes, sir!" Starbuck chimed, laying back down. "Although, I think that we need a new cook, I could smell the food cart earlier, and Gods, I thought I was going to be sick."

Bill laughed and gazed around the room. His eyes landed on the empty bed of Laura Roslin and his face crumpled up in confusion. "Where's the President?"

"She left just before you came," Starbuck mumbled, pulling a leaflet from the side of the bed.

"I don't think she likes it in here."

Bill nodded his head, remembering the time she was in here when she had recovered from her cancer and how, after getting over the exhaustion, she had been climbing the walls. "It's not a pleasant place."

Starbuck peered up from her aimless reading and watched as Bill gazed off into the distance.

"Sir?"

"Hmm?"

"She looked a bit upset. She's ok, isn't she?"

Bill shrugged his shoulders and stood up, not wanting to talk about her at the moment. "I have to go. Paperwork to do. You better behave, and I want you resting so that you can come back to the job, ok?"

Lee looked at him suspiciously and then turned to Starbuck, who was mirroring his confusion. "Yes, sir. We should be out of here soon enough."

"GOOD!" Cottle grumbled as he walked back into his office.

Starbuck started laughing. "You can count on us, sir!"

Bill smiled lightly and then nodded his head. "I'll come see how you are doing tomorrow." He turned and walked out of the sickbay and down to towards his quarters.

Laura had been sat in her room for an hour or so and she was feeling a little edgy. She still hadn't heard from Bill and she was desperate to apologise to him and make him realise what her intentions had been. It was nearly 8pm and she didn't want to go too late, having promised the Doctor that she was indeed going to do as she was told this time.

The book that Tom Zarek had brought to her earlier on lay on her table, closed , the front few pages crumpled from where they had been dropped, stood on and tucked away. Billy had picked them up as she had been taken to the sickbay by Bill, and had kept them on his person until she wanted them back. This she was thankful for. If Tom's and her own suspicions were correct, then this book would offer them a lot of answers. She wanted to read it, but she had said to Bill that they were to read it together, and although he was still absent, she had to know what was in there. She couldn't dare risk reading it and then him getting even more annoyed with her.

She pulled her jacket around her body and pulled on the hatch. Quickly and quietly, she walked along the passageway towards Bill's quarters, the book in her hand and a sorry look on her face. The guards followed her, as they always did and she nodded and smiled at them all as they watched her and her surroundings.

When she came face to face with Bill's hatch she went to reach for it, but as her hand went to touch the cool metal surface she watched as it moved, Bill walking out of it, his head lowered.

"I think we need to talk, Admiral," she said calmly, watching him as he eyed her carefully.

His forehead creasing and his mouth narrowing. "I'm actually busy at the moment, Madam President. If you'd like to come back later." Bill moved to one side, getting ready to continue his walk to his new destination.

Laura pushed the book up into his face and stepped in front of him. "I think this is important, don't you?"

Bill analysed her features. There was something there behind her eyes that he couldn't quite put his finger on. They were focused on nothing else but him and he knew she had something to say. More then what she was letting on. "Step inside, Madam President."

Laura lowered her hand and nodded her head to her guard. The warmth of Bill's quarters knocked her back slightly as she walked through the hatch, the book firmly in her grasp. When her eyes fell to his desk, she noted the glass of ambrosia and the mess on the floor. There was a broken lamp, a pile of papers on the floor and a smashed corner table lying on its side. Totally unsure of what to say to this, puzzled by what it could mean, she turned to him. "Bill, look-"

"You came here to talk about the book?" Bill turned to her slightly, his facial expression blank and his gaze dull.

"Well, I thought we could go through it, like you suggested. I'd also like to-"

"Take a seat." Bill sat behind his desk and moved the bottle out of his line of sight, looking briefly at Laura as she took a seat. "Which part shall we start at?"

Laura bowed her head and placed the book onto the table, opening it to a random page. "How about we start from the beginning."

"Ok."

It took her a few moments to think of what to say. She did want to talk about the book, but the atmosphere was awkward, politeness was forced and it just wasn't natural between them. Things had to be said and she thought it the ideal time for that to happen. They were both calm and in a quiet and private environment. She gazed at the book, and then to Bill's stoic expression. It was time for her to explain. "It starts at the beginning with a woman that's scared because she comes to find out that she is going to die, the second time in the space of a few months. Somebody amidst the masses of people outside in the fleet is a person that has done this to her, subjected her to what was coursing through her veins." Laura closed the book and moved it to one side, leaning closer towards Bill. "When she's at her lowest, her walls crumbling and her soul cracking, she finds comfort with the man that she trusts with her life. He's a military man who she has grown very fond of over the space of time that they had known each other. Very fond of." Laura could feel tears begin to fill her eyes, but determination was now coursing inside of her, edging her on.

Bill looked up from his hands to her face, seeing the emotion behind her eyes. At first he had been confused, but that had washed away when he realised that she was talking about herself. "Laura-"

"She breaks down. The tears and the sobs making her body tremble as she releases all of her pent up fears and worries. This man stays, holds her close and comforts her. She feels safe with him and he helps her release all of her bottled-up emotions. The warmth, the compassion and the trust help her sleep peacefully in his arms. Then, the pain starts. At first she thinks it's because she has slept awkwardly but it doesn't go away. Fear and worry crush her on the inside as she feels herself getting worse."

Bill watched as she rubbed the stray tears from her eyes, his heart breaking at the sight of her in such a state. "You don't have to do this," Bill said quietly.

Laura shook her head. "I have to explain this to you. Bill, please, just listen," she said shakily, resting her hands onto the desk. "In the early hours of the morning she makes a conscious decision that she knows will effect her in a very big way, but it has to be done. She can no longer subject the people around her to heartbreak and pain. The people she loves mean so much more to her than she had first realised, having witnessed them feel pain before and finding it heartbreaking to see. This man, her comfort, her rock, has been so loyally by her side for a long time, watching over her and keeping her safe to a point that she could never fully thank him. So, she has to start somewhere. She decides that she must distance herself from him so that it's easier for him when she dies." Laura raised her hand to her mouth and paused for a second, letting a few more stray tears fall down her face.

Bill stood up and walked over to the other side of his desk and pulled her to her feet. "Stop, please."

Laura shook her head and stepped back a little. "I just need to explain myself, Bill. I need to apologise, but for that I need you to listen."

Bill could see the persistence in her eyes, so he nodded his head and watched as she wiped her eyes.

"Something terrible happens. This man's son is in mortal danger and she worries for his safety. She worries for this man because he has already been hurt so many times before and it really does hurt her when she sees him like that. She stays by his side and ignores the pain that has started in her stomach because she wants to be there for him if something happens, the way he is for her. She pushes herself through it, determined to see it through to the end. It backfires on her though and she ends up in the sickbay. Rather then telling him that she was doing it for him she says something that she doesn't mean, something out of context and it makes him mad…" Laura steadies herself. "Then he-"

Bill walked over to her and put his arms around her.

"T-th-then he walks out on her, and she feels so alone." Laura lifted her head up from his chest. "I am so sorry, Bill, really. I was only doing it for you. I couldn't bear seeing you hurt. I just want you to be happy."

Bill wrapped his arms tighter around her. "Laura, I need you to understand. I'm happy when you're with me. Do you know what will make me even happier?"

Laura sniffed and shook her head, wiping her eyes.

"You being better. I want to be with you every step of the way through this and I want you to promise me that you will tell me everything."

"I will from now on. I just- oh I don't know. I was being silly."

"You had good intentions, and I'm sorry that I walked out on you, I really am, I just couldn't deal with it, after everything. Just don't worry about me. You are the priority."

Laura nodded and laid her forehead against his chest, inhaling his aftershave. "I understand."

After a few moments she lifted her head and looked up at him, catching his glistening eyes under the dim light of his quarters.

"You don't understand how much you mean to me, you know. I'm not going to give up. We're going to get through this."

Laura smiled. "We're?"

"It's been a long time since it hasn't been the two of us." Bill ran his fingers through her hair, moving it out of her face.

"I don't know what I did to deserve you."

"You were just you, and that's what I've always loved."

"I thought I was a thorn in your side."

"Oh, you are far from that." Bill grinned and wiped away the drying tears from her face. He stood, watching her smiling up at him, enjoying the beaming grin that was resonating from her mouth. She was so beautiful. Without thinking much about it, he leaned forward and planted his lips onto hers, feeling the warmth of her mouth on his. It was like heaven.

Laura could feel his warm lips enveloping hers in a soft and gentle manner and she couldn't help but respond, wrapping her arms around his neck as she returned the deepening kiss. It was tender, sweet, everything she had ever thought it would be. So much more than the time he had pecked her on the lips, but the sentiment was the same. This time, however, it was just that bit further. She moved her hands to the sides of his face, feeling the smooth skin there, wanting to remember everything about this so that she would have something to treasure when it was over, because she knew it would end.

Bill gently ran his tongue over her lips and pulled her closer to his body. He was disappointed when she pulled away, resting her forehead against his, breathing heavily against his face. "I can't do this Bill- we can't do this."

Bill closed his eyes. It was selfish of him to want her so much when he knew that they couldn't get involved like this- not when they were leading a civilization of people- but he couldn't help it. He loved her as a woman and he wanted her as a companion. "Is it wrong for me to think that we can?"

"No, it's not," she whispered resting her forehead now against his chin. "It's not even that, Bill. We shouldn't do it, and I've always said that it wouldn't happen, but times can change, perspectives alter. People can get selfish."

Bill kissed the top of her head. "Well, which is it then?"  
Laura closed her eyes, feeling his warm breath on her scalp. "Let's not start something that we might not be able to finish."

"What's going to stop us?" Bill said, completely puzzled.

"Death, Bill. Death can stop us."

And with that, Bill wrapped her into a tighter embrace, not wanting to let her go. She was right, it could, but he'd already said it before, he was going to fix it. He was going to find the frakker that was doing this to all of them and make sure she survived.


	6. Gone, Like A Tear In The Rain

**Chapter 6- "Gone, Like A Tear In The Rain."**

Billy watched as Laura stood outside of the press room, her hands on her hips and her head lowered to her chest. She was nervous, he could tell, and he kept on watching as she started pacing in front of the hatch, giving herself a few moments before entering. Truth be told, Billy thought that the conference would cause her more hassle and stress then she needed at the moment, but she was set in her ways and he wouldn't even try persuading her.

When he had arrived to greet her that morning, he watched her, hunched over an open diary, scrawling in it with a deep concentration etched across her face. It hadn't occurred to him that she had even been keeping a diary, but these were scary times and maybe it was her outlet. It wouldn't surprise him if she contained a basketful of different emotions all simmering beneath the surface. There were sides to her even he hadn't seen, and as he knew there was a line, he would never cross that invisible barrier because he respected her- she was like a mother to him.

When she lifted her head, still pacing along the corridor, he could see that she was mumbling to herself, obviously going over some answers to imaginary questions that she had conjured. You could never be too wary of the press, they could ask some very far-out questions at times to catch you off guard or make you say something you shouldn't. But, to this day, Laura had been very clever and had always evaded such disasters.

The hatch slowly opened and Billy watched as she looked nervously down the corridor, her tired eyes scanning the metal as if looking out for someone. Billy knew exactly who she was looking out for, he wasn't silly. He'd heard from one of her guards that she had spent most of the night in the Admiral's quarters. Whatever that man was to her, Billy was glad that he was there to help, she needed people like him around- especially in times like these.

Billy watched as she walked towards the open hatch, her face set hard and although he was sure that not many people could pick it out, her expression showed her nerves. When she walked slowly towards the threshold of the open press room he saw the blur of a blue uniform walk past him and Admiral Adama walked up behind her, placing his hand gently on her back and leaning forward to talk to her.

"I'm sorry I'm late, I got called down to CIC." Billy heard his mumble.

Billy saw Laura turn, her mouth set into a quirky smile and her eyes looking eagerly over his face. She nodded, happy that he had arrived, her earlier nerves seemed to evaporate from her body and she stood up tall. "I'm glad you could make it, Admiral."

There was something there between them, he had noticed. Billy had a knack for reading people and figuring things out without being told. This skill was the reason he had figured out that Laura had cancer and how he managed to do things for her without her request. At that moment, when the Admiral had walked up to her, placing his hand on the small of her back and the way she had looked at him, Billy could tell something had changed. It wasn't a dramatic change because they had always had some sort of understanding, a line which they had drawn between them. To Billy, however, it seemed that this distinct line had faded and they had become closer. Whatever it was, it had to be something positive, and amongst the negative energy that was surrounding the fleet it couldn't be bad. Billy was happy that it was having a positive effect on her. It was none of his business when it came down to the President, she could do as she wished, but Billy certainly had an inkling about the two of them and their relationship. Whether it be that it had strengthened due to the recent stresses of leadership, or that Admiral was helping her through a difficult time, he couldn't help but feel happy at the idea of someone being there for her in a way that he felt he just couldn't be.

"Are you coming, Billy?" Laura asked, her head popping out through the doorway.

"Sorry, Madam President, I sort of spaced out."

Laura smiled. "Thinking about a certain person?"

Billy smiled. "You could say that, Madam President." It was good to see her smile in a playful way at him, it had been a while since that smile had spread across her face. When she ducked back inside the hatch, he followed behind her and watched as she walked to the front of the room, her stance strong and her head held high.

The podium at the front was high and the usual array of microphones had been placed at the top, in the area closest to her. Many of the reporters in the room had ceased their murmuring and gossip as soon as she had entered, watching her as she made her way to the front.

Security was tight, much tighter then usual and the increased military presence seemed to be having its effect on the other people in the room. Billy could see many people looking nervously around at the guns and uniformed men. It was no surprise that they could tell that something was amiss. This meeting was not going to be an easy one.

Laura stood herself upon the podium, spreading her hands across the flat surface and gazing around the room. Billy watched as she began her usual routine of readying herself and composing her thoughts before talking, the people waiting patiently.

Billy had placed himself behind her, standing at the same level as the Admiral, who kept watch over the room with a sharp eye. It always amazed him how he was able to keep a room quiet with his presence. Although Billy was sure that the Admiral wasn't a hard man, having seen him a few times when he was relaxed around the President, there was something about him. Whether it was his age or his military rank, or even the fact that he was a war veteran and had saved their collective asses on many occasions, it was good to have him there. The reporters, no matter how pushy and frustrating they were, didn't seem as keen to step out of place with such a man in the room.

"I'd like to thank you all for coming this morning. I think that there are a number of things at this present moment that need addressing and I am here to do exactly that. This fleet is important," she said, her eyes gazing around the room at the various people sitting before her. "As a race it is our mission to survive this, to build ourselves a home so that we can live on and continue the legacy of our people." A few of the people in the crowd muttered 'so say we all' and this made Laura adjust herself on the podium so she could stand taller. "Inside each and every single one of us is a hidden light that burns within us like a candle. The Cylons are like a gust of wind, pushing against it to try and put it out, but we must not let this take place. I find it hard to believe that there are many people out there that would want to aid the Cylons in their endeavour, but it seems there are."

A loud uproar of mumbling erupted from the press and a few of the members began jumping to their feet, microphones at hand. "Madam President, is this in regards to the explosions that took place aboard the Carina?"

Laura nodded her head. "Yes. It seems that someone out there took it upon themselves to damage the inside of that ship."

Hands began raising and Laura took a deep breath. "Yes," she said pointing to a tall brunette woman standing at the back.

"Is it true that you've been in ill, Madam President?"

"Is it cancer?" Another reported shouted, raising his microphone towards her.

Laura waited for a few seconds before shaking her head. "No, it's not."

"Are you ill, Madam President?"

"That topic is not up for discussion." She eyed up the reporter that was sitting the closest to her, making it clear that she didn't want the topic talked about again. "Yes?"

A tall greying man stepped forward and coughed lightly. "Could you give us any more information on the reason the Carina was damaged? Have you found the culprit?"

Laura shook her head. "We are still unsure who the responsible parties are, but the Admiral and myself have people working on that. I'd like to bring something to the attention of the fleet. We are not going to give up," she paused, raising her head slightly. Although she knew that her message was going to be slightly cryptic, it would make sense to whomever was doing all of this. "As a race we are strong and we will never give in to terrorists or the Cylons. They destroyed our families, our loved ones and our homes. As long as we stick together and strive in the same direction, we will overcome this and get to Earth."

Many of the reporters scrunched up their faces and began mumbling amongst themselves as they tried to comprehend her words.

"So say we all," a voice behind her said, and she turned to see Bill glancing out at the room.

"So say we all," another voice said, and Billy nodded his head.

This phrase carried itself around the room, people nodding their head in agreement at a speech they were certainly unsure of. They understood the sentiment, but not the underlying warning that Laura Roslin was sending out. Whomever was doing this to the fleet needed to watch out as she wouldn't give up, and if she fell, there was always someone else that would go after them. Bill and Billy had certainly and unexpectedly backed that up.

"The security of this fleet will remain high. Transport will be limited and I ask all of you, if you see anything odd or out of sorts to report it to your ship's captain as soon as possible. By making sure that the fleet remains as safe as possible, it will heighten our chances of making it in one piece, which I am sure you all want to. Anymore questions?…"

--

"That went reasonably well," Bill said, sitting down at his desk and pulling out the book that he had hidden inside the secret compartment he'd made. "I mean, it could have been much worse, don't you think?"

Laura nodded and sat on the couch, dropping her heels to the floor and relaxing into the softness of the throw that smelled so strongly of Bill. "I think it went very well."

The book landed on this desk and he tried flattening the pages. They hadn't gotten around to going through this the night before, having found that other things needed to be done, and it was worrying him slightly that she wanted to read this now. If it were true, and this book held keys to what was going to happen, what would it say? How would it affect her? How would it affect the fleet? This book should be priority, he knew, and it was certainly odd that they hadn't looked at it once in over a day, but there was a moment for everything.

Laura sighed, and leaned back against the arm of the sofa, curling her legs up underneath her, watching Bill as he stared at the mass of paper on his desk. He was puzzling her slightly. She was just as unsure as ever about where she stood with him. After last night, and the direction their relationship seemed to go in, it still wasn't clear to her. Was she reading him wrong? She was pretty sure she wasn't, she'd grown so attuned to him, it was like he was an extension of herself. Things were different, but to what extent? "Bill?"

Bill looked up from the paper to Laura's face, watching as the light bounced off of her glasses which now hung from her shirt. Her hair with it's long auburn locks, was hanging around her face standing out against the white of her shirt. She seemed so much more refreshed after getting some down time the night before, and it almost made her glow slightly. "Hmm?"

"Can I ask you something?…"

"You don't even have to ask me that question, you know," Bill said, opening the first page of the book.

"You know when this is all over-"

"You're not going to die."

"No, I meant when we get to Earth or when we feel things are right, will there be room for me?" Laura watched as he closed the book and looked up at her. There was something there between them, and although at first it had seemed as if it were a slightly one-sided affection, after the night before, and the events that took place after he had kissed her, it had been confirmed it was very much a mutual thing. She knew Bill wasn't someone that took things like that lightly, but she feared that when they finally got to the end, she wouldn't be what she wanted- the woman by his side. Although, currently she was a woman by his side, it wasn't at the level she longed for. When he took her hand or gazed at her like he did, she wanted it to be more then friends or as Admiral and President. That possibility was there, and she selfishly wanted it to happen and she didn't want something to be built further if there was a chance that it would all crumble.

Bill watched her as she analysed his features, knowing exactly what her words had meant. He didn't understand why she would ask such a thing after what they had been through and spoken about after he had so boldly kissed her, but he knew she was thinking things through more than she should. "Laura…there will always be room for you, you should know that…after everything."

"I know. I'm just being silly," she whispered, looking away awkwardly. "Now, the Book. We need to get through as much of this as we can before these people board the ship."

Bill watched her as she stood and made her way over to his desk, moving a chair around the other side so she could see the pages. "You sure you want to do this now?"

"We have to. I'm hoping that when whoever this person comes on board you will be able to put them in the brig or something like that so we can interrogate them."

The corner of Bill's mouth twitched into a small grin. "I'd already arranged that."

"Without telling me?"

"You were ill at the time."

She eyed him suspiciously before pulling the papers from his hand and smiling. "Great minds think alike."

"So say we all," he grinned, turning his desk lamp on and placing his gaze back onto the open page. "So, we start at the beginning right?"

"I think that's the best bet, isn't it? It may explain why and when all this began." Laura stared down at the page and then they both started reading.

_"When times become hard and life becomes tough, we look to our leaders for hope and comfort. But, when it seems that the leaders are not fit to do the job and there is a higher level of being that can truly keep us safe and happy, why do we not jump for them? Why do we not seek out the higher being and make them our leaders?" _

Laura scoffed and turned the page. "You have got to be kidding me. They think the Cylons are going to make it all better? You had finished that page, right?"

Bill nodded. "I think most of this is going to be…I don't know how to put it…preachy? How about we skim through it and look for the important parts like how and why they are doing this to you."

Laura nodded her head. "That sounds like a better idea. I know that this frakking garbage will make me angry. I just know it."

The two of them sat hunched over the book, flicking through pages, skimming the words for useful information. It was going to be a pain, especially as they didn't have long, a few hours at most until whoever it was would come aboard. They wanted to know what they were dealing with.

_"Cylon's are not our enemy. To make the war stop, we must bow down to them and make them our leaders. They are not the enemy, the government and the military are."_

"That line there is familiar," Laura said, pointing to the page and looking around at Bill's desk. "I've read that before…I read it on the flyer they were sending around. Do you have a copy?"

Bill nodded his head, pulling the red flyer from underneath a pile of paper on the very edge of his desk. "I was going to put it in the bin, actually."

"It's a good thing you didn't. See, it's here. 'When the two leaders fall, we will once again be able to worship what we were meant to worship. On the 28th day of bombardment, the people will understand what we know to be true.' Oh my gods, Bill, they mean us. It makes more sense now I'm reading it in context. Both of us are the targets." She moved her eyes to Bill's face and peered into them. "Are you feeling ok?" She put her hand to his head and felt for a temperature or something that wasn't right.

Bill moved out of her hands way. "I'm fine."

Laura's eyes narrowed slightly. "I said that, didn't I?"  
"Well, there was something wrong with you, though, and you were being stubborn. If it makes you feel better I'll go down to see the Doc later."

"How about now?"

"Later. We need to read more of this. If the things in here are true, then we'll find out if it has happened yet, won't we?" Moving his eyes from hers, he placed his finger back on the sentence he had been reading and carefully read each word, trying to ensure he understood each line. He was pretty good at reading in-between the lines too and understanding oddly written sentences. The fact that this book could carry ideas about what was going on and what was going to happen, he had to remain vigilant. Although he was a skeptical man, he couldn't overlook anything at the current moment, there were too many lives at risk.

Laura turned the page, skimming her eyes over all the various paragraphs and sentences, Bill taking more time to go over the words. She knew what she was looking out for and it would certainly give her more detail about which direction she was going to take.

Another page turned over.

Bill paused his reading and he felt his stomach clench when his eyes glanced over the sentence.

_"On Day Three, the female leader would be injected with the deadly concoction by somebody she trusts. "_

"Laura- I-um, well, read this." He pointed over to the sentence and watched her face as she read over the lines below. At first he couldn't quite make out if she was angry, her eyes glazing over and her brow creasing, or whether she was upset.

"Someone I trust," she whispered, lifting her head up from the book. Faces flashed in front of her, her mind ruling out the many different people that she did trust, and there weren't that many. Bill, her guards, Lee, Starbuck, Billy and a few other people. Someone she trusted? She sighed. Why did it have to be someone she trusted and not someone random that she wasn't partially attached to? Apart from her guard, she was attached to the rest of them, and to a handful, a lot.

"Well, this narrows it down to someone that is in regular contact with you." Bill said glumly, turning the page over so she didn't have to look at it again. "This will make it easier to catch them."

"If you can catch them." She shook her head, her heart beating hard in her chest at the idea it was someone she was around a lot. Unless it was trust in another respect. It would certainly take a lot of thinking about. She stood up and took her glasses off, pacing in front of his desk.  
As she paced, he could see the wheels turning in her mind, coming to grips with the idea and thinking about who it could be. The first thing he was going to have to do was to keep her close to him, it seemed that trust amongst the fleet was becoming a hard thing to give. "There's you," she said, looking at him slowly. "But, it couldn't be you because you're going to be targeted." She ran her fingers through her hair and turned to walk in the other direction. "It couldn't be Starbuck or Apollo because they have been targeted…Helo…no, I'm not around him very often." She paused and turned to Bill. "It only leaves my guards," she turned her face away quietly and bit her lip, "or Billy."

Bill shook his head. "Don't be silly, Billy would never harm you."

"I know," she said sitting back down and putting her head in her hands. "This is just…ugh…this is just frakking ridiculous. It's all about mind games! Billy would never do anything like that, he's such a good boy." She sighed and rubbed her forehead, feeling her heart sink in her chest. How could anyone play with her and Bill like this? What possible advantages would it have? How would the fleet survive if they weren't around? As arrogant as it sounded, they were the best people to keep this fleet alive. Bill was experienced, smart and he knew what to do. If they weren't here and the Cylons came, the Cylon worshippers getting their way, the human race would be annihilated- and for what? What were their motives for that? She was pretty sure it wasn't a suicide attempt on their part.

"I'm going to suggest something," Bill said quietly. "I don't want you to take it the wrong way."

Laura lifted her head and watched as he turned his gaze to her. "What is it?"

"I want you to shadow me. Stay here, come with me during the day. Until we figure out who did this to you, you aren't safe. If you need to go somewhere, I will come too. I'm going to get Starbuck to be a part of this. You need a personal guard, I can do what I can, but Starbuck has initiative and she is a very capable officer." Bill looked up at her. "I don't want you to think that I'm doing this for any other reason than wanting to protect you. I will dismiss your guard, and then slowly reassemble a new one after each of the men have been through checks and questioning."

Laura blinked and then slowly nodded her head. "When you mean shadow you, does that mean-"

"All the time. Well, obviously not ALL of the time," he said with a slight grin on his face. "But you know what I mean."

"And Starbuck?"

"She'll accompany you, when I am unable. She'll be with us when you're shadowing me. I just feel that it will be more beneficial for it to work like that."

"OK. No, that makes sense. I just hope you don't get bored of me," she said, turning the page on the book and looking at him from the corner of her eye.

Bill didn't say anything, instead he diverted his attention back to the book. How could he get bored of her, of all people?

"It's just dawned on me, after reading through this how accurate it is. I mean, sure, someone can indeed write something that is very vague and there is always a likelihood that something will come true. But, I don't know, there is something about this that's scary. It's so accurate, the detail is impeccable."

Bill nodded his head. "This person has orchestrated it very well, I must say."

"I don't know. I think there is too much detail for it to be…planned, you know?" Laura turned the page again, staring at the words.

"As accurate as it may be, the likelihood of someone being able to predict such things is just-" he could see the look she was giving him, and he stopped. "You know what I mean though. It's all about perception of people. What's the likelihood of me assembling a guard to go to the ship after explosions have gone off? Then, with someone else's plans added in-between the lines, it would all work."

"Do you think we should show this to anyone?" Laura said, turning over the page.

"Is there anyone that we can trust to do so? Anyone we can trust to help us decode this stuff? I mean look, that line there could mean anything. Bill took a sip of water from a glass to his right.

"Gaeta?"

Bill shook his head. "I already have him decoding other things at the moment. I don't think it wise to pass it onto him, even though I trust him." Bill paused and turned over the next page. "I was going to suggest someone, but, I think that his attention is required elsewhere at the moment. Somewhere very important."

"Baltar?"

"Yes. I think that he is needed though. You need him to be looking through the blood samples and trying to find a way to help you. We can't pull him away from that."

Laura nodded her head slightly. She had to decide. Baltar was very clever and was her best chance of survival at the moment, but, he might be able to help them with the reading between the lines of this text. As annoying as it was, she thought that if he could find something in the text, he might find something in her blood. If all of it was connected, then surely there could be a result found at the end of it? "No…no, I think that we should let Baltar take a look at this, after we are done."

Bill shook his head, turning the page again. "No. We need to make sure you are the top priority in this. I refuse to jeopardise the progress made on your situation."

"What progress?" she said bleakly, adjusting her glasses. "Bill, really, how much have they found? How many things of use? I am truly thankful for all of the work he has done on that, but how do we know he will find anything at all? If we think through this logically, this book is the key to the situation. The answers are in here. What have we found from looking in here, really? A few cryptic messages here and there about our deaths."

"At least we know what is going to happen," he said gently. "Look, I know that there are a lot of things to think about at the moment, but I think that we should get through all of this first. If, at the end of it, there are some areas that need a more detailed look, then we can go to him. But I think that his attention is needed elsewhere."

Laura had wanted to reply but her breath had caught in her throat as she had read a small paragraph on the page. She hadn't realised that they had gotten so far. She gulped slowly and felt her eyes glaze over with fresh tears, threatening to fall down her face and into her lap. She lifted her head and looked up at the ceiling, waiting for the tears to recede so she could get her head around what she had just read.

"Laura?" Bill said, turning to her as she looked away from him.

"Read," she whispered, taking her glasses off and resting her hands into her lap.

Bill glanced down, reading the bolded words before him. When his eyes read over the sentences, he felt his heart contract and his stomach knot. His eyes began to sting and he turned to Laura who was now wiping at her eyes.

"Laura," he croaked, swallowing slowly to remove the frog in his throat. "I will not let that happen to you."

She turned her face towards him and she could see the tears in his eyes and it only fuelled hers. "You don't-"

"I said I won't." Bill reached over to her hand and took it in his, entwining his fingers in with hers.

Laura put her other hand around his and gave it a gentle squeeze, her heart thudding in her chest. Why would anyone want to inflict pain upon her? Why would anyone want to do anything to him?

The phone began buzzing and Bill reached across, not letting go of her hand. "Adama," he mumbled, glancing over at her and reassuring her with his eyes. "I'll let the President know, thank you." He put the phone down and closed the book, putting it back into the compartment. "You're wanted in sickbay."

"Are you coming too?"

"I'm going to be like your shadow, as you are going to be to mine."

"Good then," she said, wiping her eyes once more. "We can get you looked over."

--

Laura sat in her room, writing in her diary again. She had spent a long time earlier in the morning, writing about her experience from the night before. She wanted to keep as much of this written down as possible. She paused her writing and flicked back to the previous two pages and began reading.

_"At that moment I could see something in his eyes that had previously been undefinable when I had seen it. That spark and glint behind his eyes, which I had always took for a passion for his work, was not, it was for me. It had never been something I would have associated. Call it ignorance or just a misunderstanding when it comes to Bill, but it shocked me. That fire, which I had seen so many times, was for me, as a woman, and I could never have perceived such a thing._

_When his lips touched mine and I felt the way he could be with me I could feel myself come alive. It was like a fire had started inside of me- he wanted me in a loving and protecting way, not like some men I have met in my life. Selfishness and greed overwhelmed me for a brief amount of time, making me want to be with him. But as much as I wanted to, there was something in the way and there had always been something there- the fleet and the responsibilities of being the leaders, but even more prominent than that this time was the idea that I might die. As much as I wanted to go there, I couldn't, not when my mortality was in the way. If I die and the line between us had been crossed, the aftermath could be horrific._

_Bill held me for what seemed an age, his head resting on top of mine. It wasn't something I was accustomed to really. Obviously, Bill has been there on numerous occasions when I needed comfort, but this time, it seemed so much more. There was something more to be lost at that point- now we knew really what we were feeling. His aftershave, his steady breathing, his warmth and his grip were so overwhelmingly comfortable. It made me question why I hadn't been selfish before…why I hadn't stepped over the line. The grass IS greener on the other side and I really did want to be there._

_Bill had understood what I was saying when I had mentioned death, and he knew what would be at risk. This man has gone from someone who I had to force myself to be around, to someone I wanted to be with. It's strange, I know, but there are deep rooted feelings within me for him that I'm sure will never ever leave, even when I am no longer here._

_Was it greedy of me to want to stay with him that night? Was it wrong of me to share the same bed as him, to feel his warmth, the softness of his skin and the comfort of being in his arms? It may have been a mistake, I'm not sure, but it felt right. Since the beginning of all of this, there have only been a few things that I have felt were the right thing to do and haven't regretted. I think this thing between us may be on that list now. When I had stopped the tears from falling and we sat down on his sofa, I wanted to stay with him. I think he understood that and understood that I didn't want to be alone. Why would anyone want to spend the remaining hours on their own, when there was so much more to experience? He asked me, softly, whilst I leaned against him on the sofa, if I wanted to stay. I agreed. Part of me knows now that I wanted and still want to be able to do things while I am still capable. I don't know if I will make it to Earth, I don't know if I will be able to fully appreciate what we have and could have. But at that moment, when he asked me to stay, I could see what we could experience together, and I wanted it so much. It's wrong of me to indulge, but the selfishness within me was telling me to let go, just this once, and do something that will make me happy…I don't know when I will be able to do that again. I am happy that I did, when I think about it enough, I just hope that it will be there when the time is right._

_Bill Adama, you do things to me that I just can't explain. I hope and pray, that when the time comes, you will have me._

_I crawled into his rack, the sleeping pills already in my system, and wrapped my arms around him, snuggling up against his body. It had been such a long time since I had been able to do that and I realised what I had been missing. When I felt sleep starting to overtake me, I looked up to him and smiled and he kissed me gently wishing me pleasant dreams. It was warm, comfortable and the steady beating of his heart sent me into a peaceful slumber. Oh, Bill…"_

Laura looked up from her diary and sighed, it was certainly a frustrating situation, to not be able to take what's in front of you because thousands of people are relying on you. It was even worse to think that she couldn't take it because she was scared that once it was there, it would be ripped away from her if she didn't make it over the next few weeks. She pulled out her pen and began writing again, having found a comfort in writing down her feelings.

_"Fear is a terrible thing, it paralyses you and makes even the most simple decisions seem like a gigantic leap. I feel, at the moment, that everything is a huge step and one little slip could send me crashing down. I found some solace, days before, when I found myself sitting in the religious room of Galactica, pondering over my situation. I came to realise that there are certain things that scare me more then just dying, like my memory leaving too. Everything I have ever accomplished, loved, touched and devoted myself to would be gone…like a tear in the rain. My decisions, my hopes, my dreams and fantasies gone, evaporating into the air. The only essence of me left is what people remember me for, and when they are gone I am nothing- like I was never even alive. If I do die, what will people remember me for? Will they remember me for the way I dressed, or the decisions I have made? The intimate parts, the inner parts of me that have only been exposed to certain people, will eventually fade…everything I ever was, just gone._

_Every fibre of my being is trying to be positive and believe that maybe I will make it to Earth, to see the people finally make a home after the disaster. The only thing preventing this positive attitude from being prominent is this barrier of uncertainty. I know that Bill and his men will do what they can, but what happens if there is nothing to be done? What if this was meant to happen? The dying leader was never meant to make it to Earth…and the illness which threatens me might not have been the cancer. What if this was how it was meant to be?_

_As scared and fearful as I am, I know that what will happen will happen and I will do whatever I can to keep this fleet going…even if I don't make it."_

Laura looked up the clock and sighed; she had to leave soon, she wasn't meant to be long, having told Bill that she was going to change. Obviously, he had to give her a little privacy, and himself and Starbuck were stood outside, her newly acquired shadows.

_"I'm happy to say that currently Bill is ok. I was shocked to learn that he is also going to be targeted and that knowledge broke my heart more than any other news I've received today. Upon seeing Cottle, I urged Bill to get himself checked and it seems as if he is ok for now. I'm going to make him go often. I don't want him to get hurt, I don't want him to suffer._

_In other news, it seems as if the sleeping pills, which had been working, are not going to last long. So, the small hours of sleep I have been getting are going to get fewer. I can't fathom what it is going to be like. I know I've been struggling a lot these past few days, but it's going to get much worse. I can't imagine it being any worse and it scares me to know that it will."_

Starbuck stood lazily outside, leaning against the bulkhead, her foot tapping on the floor. She watched carefully as the Admiral waited anxiously outside the President's hatch, his eyes wandering nervously down the hall, looking out for anything out of the ordinary. She had noticed, since been given the all clear, that he had been on edge. It was very strange for him to act like that and it bothered her. The Admiral was a calm and level-headed man and she rarely saw him falter. She hoped that he would let her know, but if she was going to bug him that would only make it worse.

At this present moment, Starbuck was very happy to be out of the sickbay. Although the Doc had been against it, she had been thankful when the Old Man had come to see her whilst visiting with the President. Although she wasn't allowed back in the viper just yet, she was thankful to be given any detail, no matter how small. Although she did think that being drafted in to be the President's own body guard was no small matter.

"You say that she's going to get changed, sir? Is she having a meeting?" Starbuck straightened her jacket and watched as he looked down the corridor for the seventh time.

"Yes. I thought I told you?" Bill looked at her, his eyes narrowed, implying that she hadn't been listening to him, one of his pet peeves.

"No, sir. You just told me that I'm going to be the President's guard, nothing else."

Bill looked back to the hatch and then back to Starbuck, confused that he hadn't told her about the meeting. "It's a meeting with a member of the Cylon worshippers. Apparently they have demands-"

"We don't deal with terrorists, though, isn't that what the President said?"

Bill nodded his head, knowing that they didn't. It was also strange that they would have ideas or demands when they were just basically out to remove him and Laura from the picture. Why did they want a meeting with her? Why did they want any of this? He was hoping that they would get information from whomever came aboard. They had to find something. "We do not give into terrorist demands, no. We are just in need of some vital information."

Starbuck nodded her head. "Gotcha…Sir?"

Bill turned his head back to her and he could see the confusion behind her eyes. "Yes?"

"Is everything ok?" Starbuck watched as his eyes hardened, the emotion and tension that had been so clearly visible in his eyes evaporating away. There was something wrong, she could tell. The Old man was a fighter, a strong one. He was always there when she needed support, but, when it came down to it, how many people were his rock?

The hatch slowly opened and Laura exited, wearing a new suit and a bewildered look on her face. She caught the glimpse of Kara, who was looking at Bill with a deep concern. "Lieutenant Thrace, it's nice to see you."

"Good Morning, Madam President." Starbuck said cheerily, nodding her head and standing upright.

"I think it's time we went." Bill moved to Laura's side. Laura hooked her arm through his and leaned against him as she walked down the corridor, totally unsure about what was going to happen. Would they get any answers? Would they find out if she was going to be ok?

Starbuck walked behind them, watching them carefully as they made their way down to the hangar bay. She watched carefully as the Admiral turned to look at Laura, who looked at him, a slight hint of a smile spreading across her face. They murmured amongst themselves and it made Starbuck recoil. _Gods_, she thought, _the rumour mill WAS right for once_.

The hangar was empty apart from Colonel Tigh, who was stood watching the other people enter, guns at the ready. They were all going to be positioned out of the way until the transport arrived in the pods outside, and the person, or people arrived. Upon stepping foot inside the hangar they were going to be arrested and taken to the brig for an extensive questioning, which he was personally looking forward to.

"Is it all set?" Bill said, making Tigh turn around to look at him.

"Yes, sir. I got as many men as I could. You never know what to expect in this Gods damn fleet anymore."

Bill nodded. "Is the craft on its way?"

"Yes, sir, should be here any minute." Tigh turned to look at the men around him and raised his hand in the air. This prompted the marines to scatter into various areas out of sight, just to be on the safe side.

A phone began buzzing behind Starbuck who turned and picked it up, pulling the receiver to her ear. "Starbuck."

"Lieutenant Thrace, this is Gaeta, could you put the Admiral on, please."

"Admiral, sir" Starbuck called, waving him over to her.

Bill turned and walked over to Starbuck. "Yes?"

"The ship has docked sir, they will enter the hangar in a few moments."

"Thank you" Bill slammed the phone down and stood next to Laura. "I hope this works and we get some information."

Laura nodded her head, looking up to him. "So do I."

--

The whole hangar went quiet, Tigh stood at the front his eyes scanning the area, looking at all of the marines. Everybody else had their eyes on the same hatch, waiting for whoever it was that was going to enter. Starbuck had her hand on her firearm, standing close to the President and the Admiral. You could never be too cautious.

The hatch opened slowly and a tall muscled man walked inside, dressed in dark red robes, his face marked with a deep red bruise. His thick dark locks hung down by his face and he gazed around the room. When he looked at the back he could see a woman with blonde hair who looked familiar and made him stop in his tracks.

"Gods," Tigh said, looking at the size of the man standing before him.

Starbuck had grabbed her gun and her eyes grew wide. "Frak," she yelled walking forward. "You frakking-"

"Now," Tigh yelled, raising his hand in the air.

A torrent of marines erupted from around the room, circling Geoffrey, pointing the guns at him and backing him against the nearest bulkhead. His eyes grew wide with fear and he crouched down to the floor. "Please don't shoot," he whimpered.

--

The room was still dark, his chair cold and the tray in front of him empty. The clock ticked slowly, the sound reverberating from a distant corner behind him. He had been sitting like that for a long time, his eyes closed and a small grin set across his face.

Memories were a wondrous thing. They had been the reason he had proceeded to do what he was doing now. Time had become so irrelevant now that he liked slipping back into the past where everything was perfect. It was peaceful now and he could have sworn he could hear the chirping of birds in the distance.

Geoffrey would be boarding the ship only to find that they were going to take him hostage. Poor man never knew what was going to hit him. Oh well, lives could be expended for such a thing.

He stretched out his legs, leaning further back into his chair, the book in his hand and his mind wandering to a distant time when he had been truly happy.

_The sun was setting and she was sitting close to him, her hair hanging down across her face as she bent down to pick up a flower. The day had been long but each and every moment was spent doing something worthwhile, something that would form an imprint on his mind. As she turned towards him, the flower in her hand, he caught her eyes and they way they sparkled underneath the setting sun. The pinks and oranges reflecting off of her face reminded him of an image of an angel he had seen on a fine piece of art some years before. She was wondrous and he never wanted to let her go. The day had been perfect and he was hoping that there would be many more to come, he just had to give her the ring._

_"Today has been perfect," she whispered in his ear as she ran her hands through his dark brown locks, flattening the piece of hair which sat at a funny angle on the top of his head. "Are you working tomorrow?"_

_He shook his head, taking his hand into hers and pulling her onto his lap and wrapping his arms around her waist. The breeze washed over them, wrapping them in a warm envelope. "I'm not in for the rest of the week."_

_She playfully pinched his arm. "You never told me."_

_"I was keeping it a secret," he grinned, picking up the ambrosia from the blanket. "I wanted to surprise you!"_

_She smiled, her lips parted, revealing her pure white teeth. Her perfect smile. "You're full of surprises. Close your eyes."_

_"What are you going to do?" He said playfully, locking his hands with hers._

_"You trust me, don't you?"_

_"Of course I do. I'll always trust you." Another gust of wind blew over his face. As he watched her grin playfully at him, he closed her eyes and let go of her hands. Unsure of what to do he sat there until he felt her hands wrap around his neck and her lips press against his cheek, moving to his lips.  
_  
The ship shook and he opened his eyes, looking out around the room and then down to the book in his hand. Soon, he thought before standing up and leaving the room, the book firmly in his grasp.


	7. It's All Significant In The End

**Chapter 7- It's All Significant In The End.  
**

_The light tunnelled around him from the sky outside, the moon's light washing over her as she slept. Her long blonde hair sprawled around the pillow and her features soft and peaceful. Her hand was resting lazily against his and he felt her fingers twitch against his cool skin._

_They had been lying in the garden for hours, watching the sun set and the stars begin to appear like someone stabbing a needle through a black blanket. He was so content lying with her, gazing up at the stars, her warm body lying against him like a blanket._

_"I think it's time we went to bed," he whispered, moving her hair to one side and adjusting her position._

_She opened her eyes slowly and smiled, her fingers tightening the grip on his hand. "Do we have to?" she mumbled sleepily, her eyes glistening underneath the moonlight._

_"It's starting to get cold." He wrapped the edges of the rug around her body._

_She didn't reply, she just sat watching him, smiling at him and watching as he gazed  
into her eyes. "Ok," she whispered, sitting up and taking his other hand, pulling herself up. "We get a lie in tomorrow," she said playfully as she picked up the basket from the floor. "I'm expecting breakfast in bed," she giggled._

_He watched as she walked inside the house, her slim figure gliding over the linoleum  
surface of the kitchen floor. "Of course."_

When he opened his eyes he could see the stars through the window ahead of him and he sighed. It had all been so simple then, so easy. It was perfect. She was perfect. Only a few days after that she was gone and it had left him heartbroken, but he had trusted her and understood. One day they would be together again. Whether in this life or another, they would one day be truly happy. Until then, however, he had a mission to do and he would get it done. The fleet would one day be his and then the Cylon's. The plan would work and he would reign supreme.

_It had been a long and lazy day, the sunshine warm outside and the windows and  
doors open, letting the fresh air drift in. The plan had begun coming together nicely. She would come home and he would propose to her and make her his wife. He wanted them to be together until the end._

_"Honey?" he heard her call from outside. "Could you come and help me with the bags?"_

_He smiled, placed the small box in his pocket and leapt up from his reading chair. When he walked outside into the sunshine he was greeted with the sound of chirping birds in the big tree outside the house. When he looked over to her he paused slightly, watching as the thin summer coloured cotton moved swiftly in the breeze around her body. In both hands were a multitude of different bags and objects. Her hair, blonde and bright, was twisting and turning as the air rushed past her head, making her look windswept but even more beautiful. She was amazing._

_"You sure went shopping didn't you?" He laughed, walking over to her. "Please, put them down, I'll do it."_

_She smiled and began placing all of the things onto the ground. "There was a sale! I bought us a new lamp and a whole load of really gorgeous things. I thought you'd like them."_

_"I'm sure I will," he grinned. "But I need to ask you something. It's really important."_

_Her smile faltered slightly and her eyebrows rose, questioning him with her gaze. "Honey, what is it? Why do you look so nervous?" She lifted her hand to his face and cupped his cheek. "Is everything ok?"_

_A grin swept across his face like a bushfire. "Oh it's more than alright." He kneeled down on the floor and put his hand in his pocket, bringing out the box. He opened it slowly, watching as her eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped. "Will you be my wife?"_

_As soon as the last word left his lips she had jumped on him, knocking the lamp over with her foot. She wrapped her hands around his neck and kissed him several times, before putting her head against his shoulder. "Yes, of course I will."_

--

Gaius faltered as he pipetted a small solution into the test tube and began mixing. To his right stood Six who was wrapped in her red dress, watching him avidly as he did what he had done at least a hundred times already. "Gaius, what do you believe is going to happen?"

Gaius lifted his gaze from the tube and looked lazily at her as she leaned against the side. "What do you mean?"

"To the human race. Do you think you'll survive? Or do you think you'll fall, succumbing to a demise that was brought on by your own ignorance." She moved, sliding quietly behind him, wrapping her hands around his waist. He jumped, spilling the contents of a small beaker onto the side. "There are very few humans that understand the meaning of true love, anger, hatred, remorse or even happiness." She took his hand and leaned her head against his shoulder. "They know jealousy, they know fear and they know greed, Gaius. Why should you survive?"

Gaius looked up, sighed and put down the pipette on the side. "Oh come on, I'm sorry, I didn't realise your kind were fully programmed with the whole spectrum of human emotion." He picked his work back up and dropped some of the chemical onto a slide, adding some blood to it and placing it under a microscope. "What would you know about true love? What would you know about real passion. In fact," he placed everything down and turned around. "You say that we don't know this and we don't know that. How do YOU know what it feels like? You criticise but what do you really know? You were created by us! You can only feel what we feel."

"Gaius, you know so very little about me, you can't pass judgement. God has a plan that we are meant to follow, and I followed mine. I'm here at this point for a reason. What I have done or haven't done is only significant at the end when I have reached my goal." She dug her fingers into his arm and clenched her jaw. "Even if we have to drop everything and leave our loved ones behind, we do it, because it is what we are meant to do. God has a plan for all of us."

"Yes, you keep reminding me." He looked through the microscope and stared for a few moments. "Can't you come and pester me when I'm not busy?" When he turned around she was gone, all that remained was a red label attached to a small chemical container. When Gaius picked it up he raised his eyebrows. "Well, we could certainly give this a try."

--

Bill stood angrily with his face almost pressed against the metal, staring at the man behind the bars who was sat huddled in the corner, his body turned away from them. "The President asked you a question," he barked.

Laura stood quite far back, not entirely sure what to do with herself. She had asked him about what was going to happen and she had yet to receive an answer. The man in the cell was young but a giant in comparison to the people around her, yet there he was whimpering in the corner. It was strange and very uncharacteristic for a 'bad-guy.' She walked forward into the open cell next to the prisoners and took a seat. "What are you afraid of?" she said quietly, leaning forward so she could catch his face. She had seen it behind his eyes, the moment they had slapped the cuffs on him and dragged him through the halls of Galactica. She had followed at a fair distance, Starbuck cursing at her side. When they had rounded a corner he had looked at her, his eyes wide and full of fear.

At first he didn't say anything, his gaze locked onto the bulkhead, his chin on his knees. Laura waited, watching him as he sat perfectly still. Something banged behind him and he jumped, his eyes catching hers as he turned to look at the people behind him. He opened his mouth to speak, but then paused, wrapping his arms around his knees tighter.

"Why did you come here? Were you coming to kill me?"

"I'm not here to kill you," he said quietly, his eyes glistening with tears. "There is no need for me to do that."

"Really?"

He moved a little so he could see her face properly. "Everything is mapped out. Everything has its order of events. It all happens for a reason. I am not here to do anything of the sort, it is not the way or the path I am meant to follow."

Laura moved the chair closer and leaned herself against the bulkhead behind her. When she lifted her head she caught the wary look of the Admiral, who had now entered the cell with her, obviously not wanting her to get too close. A man of that size could probably do damage even with one arm through a cell. Laura could sense a spiritual side to the man, he was set in his ways, following a path that had been laid down. Like her, he seemed to have a job. "What is your path?"

Geoffrey closed his eyes and shook his head. "I can't tell you."

"Nobody will know what you say."

Bill was watching carefully, not totally impressed by what was going on. She had surprised him with her rational thinking and level-headedness in such a situation. Bill wanted to find out the answers and make whoever it was pay, he was angry for her, and he would expect her to be angry also, but she wasn't. Her face was calm and her eyes were warm in a purposeful way, she was being nice to him. Nice…to one of the people who had put her in this position. "I think you should start talking," Bill mumbled angrily, his eyes wandering to Starbuck's. "Or things won't be easy for you."

Laura looked at Bill, her eyes telling him to stop.

"It doesn't matter what you do to me. Everything will come to play when it needs to. I won't tell you because I can't."

Laura moved herself closer. "Why can't you tell us? This place is secure. Nobody will know. Do you want to tell us?"

"He'll find out. He knows everything. Everything that is going to happen is all written down…" he trailed off when he considered that he had said too much.

"In his book?"

Geoffrey lifted his gaze to hers, his eyes suspicious and worried. "How did you-"

"There is a reason for everything, as you said. Maybe this isn't meant to plan out as it should?"

Bill could see now what she was doing. Obviously, having almost instantly worked out the man's weaknesses and strengths she had began working against them, picking at him in all the right places so she could gain some sort of trust from him. She was very clever and he had figured out that using a more physical way of getting information was not the right way, because she was not into physical punishment and she had used clever tactics.

"How do you know that it isn't meant to end with us overcoming this whole situation? A way for the humans to find a strength in themselves and overcome this? What if we, as leaders, were meant to live?"

Geoffrey looked into her eyes regret sparkled within them. "It doesn't matter what will happen now. It all comes down to time, which you have very little of." He reached his hand through the bars, reaching out to her.

Laura stared at it for a few moments, her heart beating in her chest. When she looked up at Bill, she could see concern lining his face. She reached her hand towards the prisoner and took his hand.

"I can see that there is a passion within you to survive. I can see that you want to live, and it's for unselfish reasons. As a person, you long to love and be loved but you are set on a path to lead humanity to their final resting place. You want to succeed in this and you will do whatever you can to get there. You want the whole race to survive." He paused and looked into her eyes. "But the course has already been set. If this whole situation is meant to plan out so that you survive then you shall, but by what means I do not know. I have learnt as much as I can, and I know that there isn't an antidote for anything. H-he…he has never spoke of one. Although I see a light shining within you, I'm not sure how long it will burn."

Laura felt her eyes sting, totally unsure of what to think. What if he were speaking the truth? He seemed like a man that wouldn't lie, but how could she be sure? She dropped her hand from his. "I see."

"Hope is a strong emotion and will guide you. You've overcome obstacles before and you will overcome more. Even in the darkest tunnel there is a small ray of light which hope can thrive on. You must not forget that."

Bill stepped forward. "Who is doing all of this?" he shouted, his temper beginning to flare in his chest.

"I will not tell you." He turned himself around and stared again at the bulkhead.

Bill watched as Laura clambered to her feet from the chair. She walked out of the cell, turning her head once to look at the prisoner and then she walked to the hatch, in which Starbuck followed. She left the room silently leaving Bill with the prisoner. "You have all the answers but you choose to side with whoever is behind all of this!"

"You, too, have all the answers," he mumbled. "You have a valuable book there and you haven't used it to your advantage. It's been there from the start, and I have the feeling you haven't given it your full concentration."

Bill turned around and stomped out of the cell, his stomach in knots and his fists clenched. As he reached the hatch, he paused, turning to look at the prisoner one more time. "You said in the letter that you wanted your ideas to be heard. What were they?"

"I came here because I was told to. I was told to tell you one thing, but it wasn't an idea, it was an ambiguous statement that I know nothing about." he paused, turning around. "A leader who falls with love in his heart will be remembered by at least one person. Passion and idolism paves the way for idiocy. A careful step too many, or a blind jump will only make things worse. Remember. Love will make you fall faster-"

"And when you hit the floor, death in your eyes, all you will care about is the person you love and idolise. Love made you fall faster, but it softens the blow. Love will run within you like a poison and you will watch as the light fades around you. Ending. Love is the gateway to the Gods. Embrace love and you will not fear death." Bill paused and looked at the prisoner. "The epilogue to Wartime Passion."

"I figured you would know it." He stood up and sat on the rack, lying down and putting the sheets over him. "Use your mind. You have the resources." He yawned and closed his eyes.

Bill stood, his mind reeling with thoughts. He had this book in his quarters. He turned to the guard. "I want this room secure. Nobody in and nobody out without my permission." Bill opened the hatch and walked into the corridor, confused and bewildered. What the frak was going on? It seemed that things had just taken a dramatic downfall yet again.

--

Bill watched as Laura lay on his rack, her face blank and her gaze distant. It had been a few hours since they had been to the brig, and since then she hadn't said anything, too lost in thought. Bill had decided to let her mull it over, as he had tried striking conversation with her a few times and all he received was mumbles and grunts. They both had a lot to think about, and he was sure she was letting things sink in, so he would talk to her when she was feeling a bit more open.

The book lay open to his side and he had sat analysing today's day, trying to make anything significant out. To the left of him sat Wartime Passion, which he was going to re-read in hopes of searching for clues. It had been a long time since he had given it a read and he had hoped that it would hold something. It was like following a breadcrumb trail that had been picked on by birds. In terms of absurdity, this whole situation was at the top. It was being dragged out, twists and turns being added right when they were over coming a hurdle. Would they ever get something to help them, really?

Laura blinked, altering her gaze from the ceiling to Bill who was bent over that retched book, his face close to the pages and his eyes moving from side to side. He was trying. He was doing more then she was at the moment. Of course, she wanted to get to the bottom of it all, so she could try and get herself out of this endless hole that she was being thrust into. But, deep within her, in the most distant parts, she knew that a part of her was letting go. It was a small part, but it was prevalent none the less. If things were really going to end then why should she hold on and try to fight it? The strength that she had been holding onto had waned and she seemed to be floating amongst this sea of hopeless emotion. The optimistic side of her was clinging onto every happy memory and every person she had ever loved, trying to keep her afloat in the sea of despair and fear. She was struggling, she knew, but she was going to try her hardest. Even in the darkest tunnel there is a small ray of light which hope can thrive on. You must not forget that. She closed her eyes, remembering the look on his face. He was right, of course, you should never give up until it's over. The energy and passion required to do that was high, and although she had the backing of Bill and Billy, she could still feel herself falter.  
Bill turned the page over and she watched him as he concentrated on the words. "Bill?"

Bill looked up, the creases in his forehead softening as he adjusted his focus. "Don't let me give up," she whispered, returning her gaze to the ceiling.

Bill didn't say anything, he watched her for a few moments seeing the weakness on her face. A person was only as strong as those that backed them up, and she was obviously finding things more difficult then he had anticipated. He closed the book and stood himself up, walking over to the bed. Sitting softly down next to her he watched her as she stared. "You're a strong woman, Laura, but I will never let you give up. You have the strength inside you to battle this, I know you do, I've seen it."

"I'm just so tired," she said, her eyes filling with tears which she tried to stop falling. "It's just so hard."

"I know you are. You have my support, and that's not going to change. I will stand with you."

"I know you will, Bill, I know. It's just, when I actually sit and keep myself quiet, thinking about what's going on I can feel myself falter. I can feel myself moving away from it all. When things are bad you can wake up in the morning and tackle the problems, but in this case my problems stem from the sleep or lack of. What I'm working on is not sufficient anymore. It's so hard for me to pick myself back up from a knock because I just don't have the energy. I can feel myself letting go. When I was ill there was a strong motivation to carry on, that is there but it feels like I'm losing it. It feels like I'm losing everything. I just want to rest and let sleep take me away from all of this."

Bill moved his fingers in with hers, that conversation had obviously been a strong hit to whatever hope she had left. Although it was difficult to know what to believe she had obviously taken this person's words to heart. It was hard to sit and watch. Watching a person give up was one of those things he always found difficult to observe and although he would do what he could, there would only be so much he could do. He would use every resource he had to help and would work hard to keep her floating. "Laura, I want to ask you something."

Laura didn't even alter her gaze from the ceiling, still gazing lazily into the distance. "Ok."

"Before all of this, before you found out that you had cancer what did you see yourself doing when you got older?"

"I saw myself in a small house by a small lake, spending my time fulfilling all the dreams I had never been able to do. Why do you ask?"

"I want you to hold onto that thought. You will make it and when we make it to Earth, you will have your house by the lake and I will promise you that you will fulfill as many dreams as possible."

"You're quite the optimist today, aren't you?"

"For you I'd be anything, even optimistic."

--

"How's she doing?" Cottle said as he pulled up Bill's sleeve in an attempt to draw some blood. He had told him that he had wanted periodic blood samples from him to make sure that he hadn't been infected with anything along the same lines as Laura.

Bill looked down at his knees briefly before turning to the needle that was sitting near his arm. "Not particularly well," he said sadly. "It's beginning to get to her. I just hope she won't give up."

Cottle nodded sympathetically. He had had to resort to talking to Bill because he knew that he would be open about her condition. The President had been told about the need to be honest, but she always held back a little and it annoyed him. Brutal honesty was the way forward. "It isn't going to get any easier, I'm afraid. We're also not any closer to figuring out how we can stop it. If at all."

"What have you found?" Bill watched as the blood was pulled from his body.

"Well we're trying to find chemicals that will react or counteract what's happening to her. It's tedious but necessary. Baltar has a few good ideas, it's just hard to implement them in such conditions." Cottle placed the vial onto the cart and moved it out of the way. "Is she resting?"

"Trying to. You can see she is exhausted but she just can't sleep properly. Is there nothing at all you can do for her?"

Cottle shook his head. "The strongest sleep meds I have are what I have given her already. They seem to be bouncing off of her. I mean, we could put her into unconsciousness and that might do something, but, she's against that completely. It's an idea to try, but in terms of this actual chemical we still don't know an awful deal about it. It will stop her sleeping and it will react violently with any pain medication we give her. We have the chemical structure, but it's so complex."

"I'll have to talk to her."

"Please do," Cottle said lighting his cigarette. "Bill…I know that there is a chance that something might happen to you, but I hope that you will use your common sense and get your frakking ass down here straight away."

Bill nodded. "Of course." he stood up and rolled the sleeve of his shirt down.

Cottle walked out of the curtain. "Try and get her to rest, Bill, I'm serious."

"I know you are, Jack," Bill nodded his head and walked out of sickbay.

--

Bill opened the hatch and entered his quarters with a stack of blank paper. When he entered he could make out Starbuck who was sitting lazily on his sofa, her eyes looking down at an open book she had obviously taken an interest in. Bill did feel sorry for her, she was like a bird and didn't do well being caged. But, she wasn't allowed to fly and instead of her being a nuisance she would certainly be better off here with the President.

Laura was seated at Bill's desk, her eyes red and her face blank as she looked down at the book which he had been scanning through earlier. It had only been two hours since he had left, needing to attend to some things down at CIC, and he could tell she was exhausted.

Starbuck stood up, closing the book and making her way over to the hatch, eager to get out of the room and roam free around Galactica. "I'm good to go now, sir?"

Bill nodded and watched as she exited, quickly and sharply, just like he had thought she would. Bill put the pieces of plain paper down on his desk and spread them out, taking a pen in this hand and placing one next to Laura's hand. "I know you probably are finding it hard to concentrate right about now, but I think we should start mapping all of this out, from start to finish so we can get a grip on it."

Laura nodded her head and rubbed her tired eyes, silently taking the pen and drawing a line down the middle of her page. Like a timeline she plotted out the days, not even saying anything to Bill to try and confirm that was what he was suggesting.

Withdrawn, was the best way to describe Laura Roslin's actions, she was definitely beginning to detach from things. Or it was the pressure of not being able to sleep. Her body was only concentrating on the necessary things or she was detaching herself from the situation to try and overcome it. Bill didn't like it at all. "So," Bill said, taking his pen. "Day one."

--

He hummed to himself as he flicked through the pages in the book which he had placed on his lap. It was so nice not to have Geoffrey babbling in his ear like a nervous idiot. He was annoying but useful. A spiritual giant who liked to follow a path, was the best way to describe him. He had delivered the message and it was a matter of time until he would start spilling information to the President. It was meant to happen, it had to happen, otherwise things would not follow the correct course.

Target number two, the ever pressing, ever strong Admiral Adama. Tomorrow was the day when things would begin tumbling for him, his strength which he was using to keep the President upright would be redirected. It would all take place and then things would truly begin to crumble. It would not happen quickly, and may not be fully prevalent straight away, but it would begin to be noticeable.

_"Day 23 would bring about the beginnings of the end for the male leader. Aggression and misdirection would overcome him. A path that was followed would crumble."_


	8. A Late Night Correspondence

**Chapter 8- A Late Night Correspondence.**

Laura sat staring across the room where Bill was dozing at the desk, his glasses skewed and leaning at a dangerous angle as he rested his head on his arms. He'd spent the last few hours flicking through a book and the papers they had received from Zarek. Next to that, by his lamp, was the time-line which she had drawn out. Small intricate notes and phrases had been copied into each relevant space, the Admiral not wanting to leave anything out.

When he had asked her to do this line, she had done so, but her mind was not with it. As distant as she had been whilst he was picking out points and writing them down, she couldn't help but drift further away, her attention waning as the minutes passed. He'd tolerated her quietness, turning to her every now and then to make sure that she understood what he was saying, writing it down and confirming its importance. She was surprised he hadn't become frustrated with her; she didn't say a word, just nodded or shook her head, her eyes staring at one of the many paintings on his walls. She wasn't one for the intricacies and symbolism of the fine arts, but she was fascinated by the vast array of items that Bill had collected. His quarters were littered with different variations of art from books, pictures, statues and little ornate ornaments. The one thing that had caught her eye as he was rambling by her side was a small painting hidden away in the corner. A woman sat on the floor, her face withdrawn and grey against the multitude of summer colours splayed in the background. It dawned on her the relevance that the painting seemed to have at this moment in time. She felt like that woman who was sat by the side of a country road, the world continuing around her, glorious and bright. Wondrous things would continue around her, the birth of children, the love and passion of a newlywed couple. It was totally different in situation and there were never guarantees that the human race would survive and make it to Earth, but this woman, dressed in grey and her face pale, reminded her of herself at that very moment.

She didn't mean to be so distant, but the whole conversation that had taken place in the brig had plagued her to the extent that it was all she could think about. The hope that she had held in her heart before conducting that conversation had rapidly evaporated as the man had spoken to her. There were so many questions she wanted to ask, and although she was pretty sure that the book which Bill now had his elbow on would house these answers, she felt much better about them coming from a person.

Inside she was giving up, but the line that the prisoner had spoken resonated with her. When she felt herself give in just little bit more it would rise to the surface, knocking her back into her senses. Deep inside she was giving up, but she was battling. She had to.

After Bill had been through the beginning weeks of the book, she could hear the familiar quietness of his voice as he had passed over the difficult areas. She didn't want to hear them, so she lied about wanting to go to sleep. Of course, he hadn't stopped her and she had taken her sleeping pills, hoping they would help quiet her mind and let her relax. After lying there for nearly an hour, she had found that they weren't doing a thing. But, rather than letting Bill worry over her when he was so clearly engrossed in his work, she kept her eyes closed, just listening to him work and mumble little phrases. It was actually quite soothing to hear his voice. He would repeat a phrase over and over, his tone changing as he wrapped his mind around it.

What she wanted most at this moment was to get to the bottom of it all, but she knew that Bill would never let her go to the brig on her own, and she didn't have the heart to wake him. She pulled the soft covers from her body, feeling the slight chill of Bill's room wash over her as she sat up. She picked up a small blanket and wrapped that around her shoulders, treading carefully through his quarters, avoiding any crowded areas, just in case she was to bump into anything.

When she reached the centre of the room, she bent down and picked up her shoes, putting them on and then adjusting her clothes. If she was going to pull herself out of the hole she found herself in then she was going to have to find answers. She then made her way back over to the other side where the phone was, picking it up gently and placing it to her ear. "This is the President, I'd like you to put me through to Lieutenant Thrace, please."

The corridors were even colder than Bill's quarters, her tiny frame soaking in every cold particle that touched her body and made her shiver, her muscles spasming to create warmth. Kara should arrive soon and Laura was counting down the minutes until her body would be a little more active, making her way towards the brig.

It made her feel guilty, leaving Bill sleeping while she went out to find answers. But, she was a soft touch and couldn't stand waking him up. He was exhausted, she could tell, and although he would have been useful, she almost felt as if it was something she had to do herself. After she had put the phone down, she removed Bill's glasses and turned the lights down, leaving the room in a more comfortable environment for him.

"Madam President, it's late." Kara came around the corner, sporting a jumper and sweat pants.

"Yes, I know, I'm sorry to be keeping you up." Laura gave her a courteous smile and fell into step beside Kara.

"I take it you're not out this late to go and get drunk by any chance? I mean, I'm game and all."

Laura laughed quietly; she had always enjoyed Kara Thrace's energy, and it was warming to hear jokes. It seemed as if many people were uptight around Laura when she was with them, giving her all the right attention a President was meant to receive. Kara, though, had a tendency to overstep that line, and Laura didn't mind at all. It made her feel human. "Unfortunately, Lieutenant Thrace, getting drunk is the least of my worries at this moment. However, when the time comes, I'll make sure you're around to get that party started."

Kara grinned, amused by the President's retort, slightly taken aback by the statement. "You can call me Kara, you know, or Starbuck. Lieutenant Thrace is far too official for this time of night."

Laura studied Kara's face as they turned a corner. Although she hadn't really gotten to know Kara as much as all of the other people around her, it was very clear to Laura why people liked her- Bill especially. "Ok, Staarrbuck," she said, extending Kara's name that bit more, adjusting to the way it sounded. "I must apologise again for getting you out of your rack at such a late hour. But, Bi- the Admiral was sleeping and I thought that he wouldn't approve of me going out under the circumstances." Laura blushed slightly at the obvious slip of Bill's name.

"No need to apologise, ma'am, I was up anyway, playing cards. To be quite fair, I was getting bored, the people around me were such sore losers." Kara moved to one side as a tall marine jogged past her.

"Laura, please. Well, I'm very appreciative."

"That's ok…Laura," Kara said, scrunching her face up as she said the President's name, not used to referring to the President so informally.

Laura turned down another corridor, eyeing the area carefully, hoping they were going in the right way. Upon seeing the same flight of stairs they had come by earlier, she nodded her head and mumbled to herself. As she stepped forward to start her climb, her heel got caught in the grate and she jolted to the side, knocking into Kara who grabbed her by the arm. "Whoa, there. You sure you didn't start on the ambrosia already?" Kara giggled.

Laura smiled. "No, it's these shoes, they don't do so well on these standard military corridors."

"You don't have any flats?" Kara stepped back as Laura adjusted her footing and stance.

"No. I don't really have any comfort wear aside from my sleepwear."

Kara shook her head. "That's wrong on so many levels. I'll sort something out for you," she smiled and waited for Laura to start up the steps. "Where are we going?"

Laura turned her head to look down the nearest corridor. "Well, I want to get down to the brig."

Kara turned. "It's probably best to go this way then. That way takes longer."

Laura nodded her head and sighed. "I don't think I'll ever get used to such a massive ship. I'll almost certainly get lost."

"Nah. You get used to it."

"I hope so," Lara chimed, following Kara down another extensively long corridor.

As they finally arrived on the same corridor that the brig was situated on, Laura slowed down, looking at a couple that were laughing and smiling in one of the small alcoves. Upon closer inspection, Laura couldn't mistake the tall boyish figure of Billy, his smile wide and his hair, with the little curls, all neat and tidy in its usual style. A huge bout of warmth erupted inside of her stomach as she peered at the happy couple, seeing Billy plant a cute little kiss on Dualla's cheek.

"Oh, give it a rest you two," Starbuck shouted, putting two fingers in her mouth and pretending to gag.

Billy looked up and his jaw dropped, seeing Laura stood there a big goofy grin on her face. He blushed and looked at Dualla who was laughing at his reaction. He looked at his shoes and then lifted his hand and waved. "Hi."

Laura just smiled, since first getting to know him, Billy had come a long way and she felt the pride well inside of her. "Don't stay up too late," she said, following Starbuck down the corridor. Once again she pictured the woman in the painting in Bill's quarters, the world carrying on around her. The things she would miss if she went, or the things that would no longer be possible if the Cylons killed them all. A deep stab of sadness washed over her as she turned to see the pair walking slowly down the opposite corridor, hand in hand. They were happy, and she would never want anything or anyone to tear them apart.

"Here we are," Starbuck announced, pausing in front of the hatch. She looked at Laura, her face puzzled. "You know, I only just thought about this…but why do you want to go here?"

Laura turned her gaze back to Kara who had her hands on her hips. "I came for answers."

Kara nodded her head and pulled the hatch, a guard moving in front of the entrance, his gun in his hand.

"You can't come in here without authorisation from the Admiral or the-"

"President, yeah, check your eyeballs, man, who do we have here?" Starbuck said sarcastically, pointing to the President.

"My mistake." He grumbled stepping out of the way.

Laura wrapped her arms around herself and entered the brig, her eyes taking a long time to adjust to the darkness. "You can go."

The guard just stared at her, and then looked to the prisoner.

"That means you're dismissed," Starbuck said, pointing to the door. "Geez, you can't get good help these days, can you?" She watched as the officer left the brig, standing outside the hatch with his gun in his hand.

Kara pressed a button and the dim lights turned on, making the pair of them squint at the brightness. Laura, who had wandered over to the bars, could make out the outline of the prisoner who was curled up on his rack.

"I wondered if I'd get to see you again," they heard him mumble sleepily, sitting up in his rack and looking towards them. The lines on his face were prominent as he yawned, his hair falling over his face. As he stood and stretched, Laura had to look up to take in the magnitude of this giant.

"I wanted to come and talk to you," Laura said quietly, pulling the chair in the open cell, closer to the bars. "I know that this must be difficult, but I'd like to know a few things."

Geoffrey stepped forward and planted his body on the floor, looking up at Laura as she watched him carefully. He crossed his legs, the blue fabric of his trousers straining as the muscles in his legs pressed against them. He did the top button of his pale blue shirt up and nodded his head. They had removed his red robes as soon as he had entered and he could now feel the chill of the ship. "Ok."

Starbuck sat on the edge of the desk in the corner, keeping her distance, watched him intently, her whole body on full alert. After what had happened to her on that ship, she certainly was not going to risk anything else happening. Her fingers slid to her firearm that was under her jumper.

Laura contemplated her questions, lining them up in her mind so she could ask them in a better order. She wanted to get to the bottom of this, and she hoped that this man would give her some insight into the situation. "The person that is doing this, the man, do you know why he is doing it? I'm pretty sure that won't be in the book."

Geoffrey closed his eyes and Laura could see his body shiver. "I can't tell you who he is, because I don't know. But, from what I've seen and sensed from him, he is bitter, cold and empty. The motives behind this whole event aren't clear to me, but I think he was hurt. I think that whatever is happening or is going to happen will be down to this pain that eats him inside. He wants something. The Cylons, to him, are very important. But, I do not know why," he paused and crossed his hands in his lap. "I will be as honest as I can be, because I feel that the overall end point of all this is much more undefined to me as it was."

"How did you get involved in this? I mean…you seem to be very clever and have your own ideas. You seem open to possibilities and you have a faith there. But, this whole charade doesn't seem to suit you?"

Geoffrey pulled the blanket from the rack and wrapped it around his shoulders. "When I was younger, I was a bully. I used my strength, height and passion for violence to my advantage. I made people's lives a misery. As I got older, and saw the way that life played out, something happened. You could even call it an epiphany. I was walking down the road and I saw this man beating up a boy and I used my strength as an advantage to help this boy. It dawned on me that I could offer more and be something. Before all of this, before the Cylons, came I was going to train to be a Priest. The words that the scrolls spoke made so much sense to me, there was a deep and intertwining truth that lay there, and I thought that was my path to follow."

Laura watched as he gazed off into the distance for a few moments, his face blank and his eyes glassy. "You were going to be a Priest?"

"Oh yes. I have a theory that every person follows a path in life, and the scrolls are very much into that theory. So, since then, I have been following what I have felt was my path. It brought me to him. He needed help and I figured that it was my turn to help someone else. The book, the one that you have, has me in it, he told me. At first, I didn't believe that the book was anything but fiction," his eyes grew wide with intensity. "But it isn't. Things started happening. It was uncanny and strange, but they happened. The words in that book were the future, and I was in it. What else could I think then that I was meant to be a part in this? I've never read it, not once, but I hear him speak. He thinks I'm stupid, my size and strength is all he really wants and he treats me like a fool. I've heard him read out lines and passages. I've seen him gaze at me. I know that I'm meant to be more than just his helper. I feel it inside of me that I was meant to do more then do his errands. When you said that you had the book, and you said that it might not be going the way I thought, it made sense. I don't think I was destined to continue with the pain he was inflicting upon people- upon you."

Laura was astounded by what he was speaking. This man that sat before her had so many layers. All he was doing was following his path, like her, like many of the other people in the fleet. "Do you know what is going to happen?"

Geoffrey shook his head. "No. All I know are the things he asks me to do, and the segments I hear him mumble. But you," he said, squeezing the bar in front of him. "You have all of the answers. You have the same resources as he has and you could use that to your advantage. I know not of what will happen, but there is no harm in trying to be a step ahead. It's correct that the words come true, it does, but every little thing that you know, might alter the ending, even if every other page is followed. The absurdity of it all is that he doesn't even know himself how it is going to end as the book is incomplete. As you said to me before, it might be something for us, as a race, to overcome."

Starbuck bit her lip and let go of her gun for a brief minute, letting the words sink in slowly. "You were so scared earlier that he would find out if you spoke, but you're talking to us now? Why would you do that?"

Geoffrey turned to watch Starbuck who, he could tell, still didn't trust him. "I'm sorry that I did what I did."

"You didn't answer her question," Laura said quietly, wrapping her arms around herself as she felt the coldness of the air stab at her skin.

Geoffrey watched as the President shivered and he pulled off the blanket from his shoulders and offered it to her through the bars. "Fear is a terrible thing. Every person in this room has felt it."

Laura took the blanket and wrapped it around her, the warmth from his body pressing against her cold skin. "It's horrible."

Starbuck stood up from the desk and picked up the chair, moving into the cell. "Fear is your friend."

Laura turned to her and watched as she stared at Geoffrey through the bars. "Fear is no such thing. It eats you up, it makes you do silly things. These past few days have been pure hell, to know that someone is going to try and kill me. I'm scared because I don't know if I am going to be here. I don't know what will happen. Fear, is not your friend at all, it's your enemy."

Starbuck looked at Laura, her face lined with sympathy. "I don't know what you're going through, but I've felt it, and it's kept me alive. When I was on that ship," she said, moving her eyes back to Geoffrey. "And that smoke circled around us, I was scared, but that wasn't fear. Fear was waking up, not being able to breathe or see where you are. Fear is what made me get up, get Lee and try and get out of there. The fear inside of me meant dying. If I hadn't felt that fear, I would have let myself go. Fear stops you wanting death. Fear stops you from leaving this world."

"Unless you're meant to," Laura whispered, looking down at her hands.

Starbuck watched as Laura sighed deeply, removing her glasses and rubbing her eyes. "I'll do everything I can…Laura," Starbuck said quietly. "You are our only hope. The Admiral knows how to fly a ship, but he doesn't know where he's going."

Laura's mouth twitched into a small smile and she put her hand on Starbuck's. "I know you will."

"I was scared that he would find out. The fear inside of me was for him finding out that I had done something wrong, something that would affect his plans. Now, I don't fear that at all. I know that if my path is the right one, I will do what is right- what I am meant to do. I don't need to fear my actions."

"I just don't understand what would possess anyone to do any of this," Starbuck said leaning forward in her chair. "It's just wrong."

"Love can make you do silly things. You will sacrifice anything to save another." Geoffrey stared at Laura when he said this. "It's also important in the days to come."

"This guy loves the Cylons?"

"I don't know. I have heard him mention it many times. His love for what I do not know. I think that love should be embraced, I think that it should be acknowledged and used as a strength, especially in times like these."

Laura peered into his eyes. "Will you read the book with us? If I was to bring it to you, would you help us?"

"If it is my path , then it will happen."

Laura nodded her head, smiling gently at Geoffrey as she passed him his blanket back. "Thank you," she whispered, standing up from the chair. "You've been very helpful."

"Every path and decision has a starting point," he chimed, standing up and walking over to his bed, wrapping the blanket back around the thin mattress.

Laura, slightly overwhelmed with the previous discussions, made her way over to the hatch, her eyes itchy with tiredness and her body beginning to ache.

Starbuck stood, watching Geoffrey as he climbed back into the rack, tucking himself under the blankets and sorting out his thin pillow. "Can I ask you something," she whispered, looking at the President out of the corner of her eye. "How long do you think she has?"

Geoffrey turned to Starbuck. "A few days, a week at the most from what I've heard. She's going to need support. Her wall, her support, is going to start to crumble. I heard that part before I came here. If she needs help, I think that she should get it."

Starbuck gulped, watching as Laura waited at the hatch for her, rubbing her tired eyes and then stretching her arms. The man before her had almost killed her, but Starbuck could certainly sense something about him. There was truth behind his words, he believed what he was speaking and so did the President. Starbuck just hoped that she would make it, the fleet depended on it.

--

The darkness of the room was menacing against the patch of light that highlighted his mouth, a grin spread across his features. "I want you on Galactica. I want you to get Geoffrey off of that ship."

The man, dressed in his marine's uniform nodded his head and got up from the chair. "I will go now then."

"They think you are on a supply run?"

"Yes, sir. The CO gave me the ok to do so."

"Don't forget this," he said, holding the needle up in his hand. "You know who you are meant to inject and you better do it," he snarled.

"Yes, sir, the Admiral."

"I'll be seeing you soon."

The marine left, leaving him alone once again in the darkness. Geoffrey had chosen his side, and he had gained their trust. It was all working out so nicely, it made him want to dance. "Victory will soon be mine."

--

Laura walked slowly down the corridor with Starbuck at her side. They had both been silent, not saying anything as they both thought deeply about what had just happened. Starbuck was confused. Battling herself over the many different perceptions she had of the prisoner and the situation that the fleet had now found itself in. The man, who had been a part in what had happened to her and Lee, had somehow managed to push the anger she had towards him to one side. It was surreal as she was very good at holding grudges. She had sensed that he wasn't to blame, he was very spiritual in the sense that he felt he had a path to follow. Whoever was directing him, was the one she wanted to kick the crap out of. If she had realised that someone could be self-centred and try and basically annihilate a whole race because of something personal, then she would have gotten involved sooner. Rather then anger, her stomach squirmed with worry as she laid her eyes on Laura, who was gazing into the distant hallway, her face completely blank. Starbuck didn't know her as well as Bill, but she knew why he held her in such high regard. Both women had strength and persistence, but Laura held it very well. She was a fighter, Starbuck had always sensed that about her, and it worried her that someone was trying to break her will and kill her in the process. It wouldn't just affect the people close to her like Bill, but it would affect the whole fleet. It was scary how dependent they were on her.

"Madam Pre-Laura," Starbuck said, slowing her stride down. From what Geoffrey had said, she was going to need as much support as she could over the coming days and, although they were not as familiar with each other as she was with Bill, she knew that they had bonded to another level in the past hour or so, coming to a silent understanding. "If it all gets too much…I mean like, if anything happens and you find that suddenly you can't talk to the people you had before. You know where I am right?"

Laura stopped, taken a back by this out-of-the-blue statement. She watched as Kara pierced her gaze with a caring and at the same time, worried expression. Kara had asked Geoffrey something, she could tell. "What did you ask him?"

Starbuck looked down the corridor at an oncoming group of men, walking steadily chatting and laughing as they walked. "What do you mean?"

"To the prisoner, what did you ask him?"

"I asked him how long he thought you had." Starbuck began walking away slowly. "He said that your support was going to crumble and I figured I ought to offer some sort of support from myself." Kara forced a small smile to spread across her face.

Laura, bewildered by the idea of her support crumbling, realised slowly that it was Bill. She already knew that whoever was behind it was going to target Bill, but, even if he got ill he would be there for her. Laura's mouth twitched and she continued walking down the corridor. She wasn't quite sure what to say or how to react. "Thank you, Starbuck. No, it means a lot, really."

Bill's quarters came into view and they slowed down. Starbuck saluted the President and then opened the hatch for her. "I meant what I said about getting you some decent gear. Nobody should have to live in heels all day."

Laura smiled. "I will no doubt be seeing you soon, Starbuck. Goodnight to you."

"Night, ma'am," Kara said, turning around and walking off down the corridor, ready to  
hit her rack and get some shut eye.

Laura blinked, watching the other woman turn the corner. There were certainly many layers to Starbuck, and it was much clearer now, why people had such a high opinion of her, as a person and as a viper pilot. She was strong, she was a fighter and yeah, she may go off the rails sometimes but she was certainly an energy that people were drawn to.

She closed the hatch slowly behind her and walked over to the desk where Bill was still dozing, his mouth slightly open and his arm draped across the top half of the wood. A small snore emanated from his mouth and Laura smiled to herself, turning his desk light on and giving him a gentle prod in the arm.

"Bill," she whispered, giving him a gentle shake.

Bill's arm jerked and he adjusted his heads position, his mouth closing and twitching. "Hmmm," he mumbled, making Laura grin.

"Admiral Adama," she said a bit louder this time. "We have a situation."

Bill's eyes snapped open. "Situation?" he mumbled sleepily, jerking upwards and sitting up in his seat.

Laura stifled a giggle, amused by his sudden movement, his eyes red and tight with sleep. "Yes, you were dribbling."

Bill blinked, focusing on her face, it taking a few moments to realise what she had said. "Dribbl-oh," he wiped his mouth and reached out for his glasses. "I must have dozed off."

"You did. You should go get some sleep."

Bill looked down at his notes, day 22 was complete and he had yet to start day 23, which was going to be today. "No, I have to finish this." He readjusted his glasses and looked up at her, the dark bags under her eyes were prominent and her whole posture was poor. "Have you slept?"

Laura shook her head. "I tried, but I couldn't. I thought I'd listen to you work instead…I also went to the brig."

"The brig…on your own? Laura you should have woken me up!"

"Bill, I didn't go on my own. I know I can be reckless, but I'm not stupid. I called Starbuck, she went with me." Laura sat on the chair in front of his desk. "I spoke to the prisoner, I asked him some questions."

Bill watched as she pulled the time-line from his side and began looking at it. There were so many quotes and lines linking things to other quotes that it made her head hurt. "Have you found anything useful?"

"Not really. I mean, it's useful because I know what's happened in general that I might not have known about before. But, there's no indication of motive or why it should happen."

Laura nodded her head. "I asked Geoffrey that."

"Geoffrey?"

"The prisoner. He doesn't know why it is happening, but he thinks it's about the pain that this man is feeling over something. The Cylons, they mean a lot to him. That's all he knew."

Bill looked at her, slightly puzzled by why she would have wanted to go and see him. "Why did you go there? I mean, why would you need to, this book should have the answers, if you took the time to read it."

"I didn't want to read about why I'm going to die and how it will happen. I don't want to sit there and go through pages of cryptic messages to come to the end where either myself or both of us is dead. I wanted answers. I wanted straight-forward answers, Bill. That's why I went. I found out a few useful things, things that I think that the book might not have answered." Laura pulled the book over to her and flicked to the back. "Zarek said that this book wasn't complete and Geoffrey said this too. He said that he thought it was absurd that the person behind this didn't actually know how it was going to end. Though he's obviously certain that it will end in his favour. But, Bill, what if it's just an obstacle, as I said to him, that we are meant to overcome?"

Bill listened to her, not sure how to feel at the current moment. She had trusted and taken in opinions from someone who had been a part of what was happening. Someone that was no doubt a very big part in what was going to happen. The prisoner, the giant of a man, could be trying to manipulate her. He instinctively turned to the back of the book and noticed that there was indeed a lack of completion about it. "How can we trust what he is saying? I mean, why should we? He is a part of this whole thing."

"Bill, I think that he is just trying to follow his path in life and has gotten mixed up in this. We all have paths, I have a path- so do you. I think that he is good, deep inside, he was just following what he thought was right."

"You believe this?"

"Well, at this moment there is nothing wrong with believing him. He was able to give me a little bit of hope, that has to be a good thing."

"I don't trust him."

"No, I didn't think you would, but do you trust me, Bill? Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do, I just think he's manipulating you and your beliefs."

Laura nodded her head. "If you trust me Bill, then you trust me. No ifs or buts. I don't think we should discuss this now. I think tomorrow will be better. You need to get some shut eye. It's no good if both of us are walking zombies. You need to be alert, for the both of us."

Bill sighed, his brain filled with reasons why she was right and wrong. It was frustrating because he thought that her way of thinking, her beliefs could very much cloud her mind and make her miss what he thought was going on. Laura Roslin was very clever, but if the right buttons were pressed he was sure she would be an easy target for lies. "I want to go over all of this tomorrow then, first thing, and then we can look over the days events in the book. We can discuss everything before we take on the day, ok?"

Laura watched as he put everything in his top draw, slotting them somewhere out of view. "Of course."

Bill stood and headed over to the bathroom. As his hand touched the door he turned to her. "What are you going to do?"

"Read, maybe, or just lie down. I'll find something to do," she said wearily before heading over to his book shelf, looking at the picture of the woman as she passed.

What Bill would give so that she could rest, even if it were just one night. He sighed and entered the bathroom. The days were just getting longer and more and more frustrating.

--

Laura sat on the couch, her head in her hands, the headache that had hit her as she read through one of Bill's many books was relentless, pushing against her eyes and head like a sledgehammer. The worst of it was, she knew there was nothing she could do. Pain medication was out of the question and sleep, the usual remedy for a headache was unreachable. It made her head pulse and ache, the pressure forcing itself against her. Her eyes, which were tired and in need of rest were aching against the light in Bill's quarters and she was finding it difficult to concentrate. What made it worse was that Billy had informed her that the Quorum wanted a meeting with her later that afternoon. An array of irritating people around her when she felt as if she was going to explode was not going to be fun. As the President, she had to, she had said she would keep up with what she was meant to do, and she was going to do that.

Bill was in the bathroom, washing and giving himself a shave, his stubble having reached an alarming length since the days before. The shower had been short and refreshing, waking him right up and increasing his alertness ten-fold. He'd slumped out of his rack, said his good morning to Laura and proceeded straight into the bathroom. He was hoping that today would be easy and things would run smoothly. He hoped.

The razor made its last swoop across his cheek and he washed it, drying his face with a towel and wrapping his freshly laundered jacket around himself.

As he exited the bathroom he looked at Laura who was slumped back on the sofa, her head in her hands. He was just about to walk over to her to see how she was when there was a heavy knock at the hatch. Bill made his way over to it, glancing quickly over her as he walked passed. He pulled the hatch open and Billy stood staring at him nervously. "Good Morning, Admiral."

"Billy," he said, moving back to let him in. "Good Morning."

Billy nodded his head and walked in. "I just came to give the President the papers that the Quorum sent over. Preparations for the meeting this afternoon."

"Meeting?" Bill took the papers out of his hand and looked down at them, a long and rather painful looking agenda on really petty things.

"Yes, I was going to tell you about that," Laura croaked, not moving her hands from her face.

"I don't think it wise for you to attend any sort of meeting today. You don't look too good in all honesty."

"Thanks," she murmured playfully. "Glad to know you approve of my new look. I have to do it. It's my duty as the President."

Bill shook his head, side glancing to Billy who seemed to be looking quite worried as he looked at the President. "Can't you postpone it?"

Laura looked through her fingers, the light stinging her eyes and making her close them again. "No, who is to say that it will be any better tomorrow or any other day for that matter. I'm anticipating the worst, after all. I just think if I get this out of the way then there is less to do later on. I'm sure you can see the logic in that?"

Bill nodded his head. "I suppose you're right. What time is the meeting?" He turned to Billy who was flicking through papers.

"Well, they wanted to know from you, Madam President. They were content with arranging it when it suited your needs. I wasn't sure so I though I would ask you, of course."

"Schedule it for mid-day. I have some matters to attend to here with the Admiral and I think that it would be better to get over with sooner rather then later."

Billy nodded and jotted the little note down in his diary. "Oh, and Madam President, I have a message from Starbuck. She said that she has something for you and she will be coming around at some point in the day to drop it off. She wasn't specific about what it was, she said you would know, so I assumed you would."

Laura's mouth twisted into a smile. "Ah yes, thank you, Billy."

"I'm going to go and arrange for the Quorum meeting to be held here in a few hours then, Madam President." Billy nodded to Bill and then turned around to leave the room.

"Billy?"

"Yes, Madam President?"

"I hope you didn't stay up all night."

Billy blushed and looked away from the Admiral who was looking at him, confused. "Umm, no, ma'am, not all night, no." He moved nervously to the hatch and then exited, his face red with embarrassment.

--

"Another run, you say?" Tigh said, walking down the corridor with the marine and a bunch of forms in his hand. "They say that they need more? I thought you went over to the other ship earlier to take some over?"

"I did, sir, this is for another ship."

"Well, you know everything has to be ran by the Admiral first. Like before."

The marine scrunched his face up with annoyance and then stopped. "I understand, sir." He handed him another form. "This ship has a case of ambrosia they wish to send over this afternoon. That's the confirmation note, there."

"A case?" Tigh said, turning the corner and eyeing up the form carefully.

"Yes, sir. I was going to pick it up on my run, sir, to save fuel."

"Good thinking," he said, pulling out his pen and signing it. "Use a different raptor next time, the transponder seems to be playing up on that raptor you were on last time. Has Gambo looked at it, it's his raptor?"

"Yes, sir, everything is in working order now. A wire came loose on the way over. But, the ship we were out at has confirmed us being there."

"Yes, yes that's fine. You're dismissed."

The marine nodded his head, folding the paper and putting it into his pouch. He was right, it would be very easy and things would work out the way he had envisioned.

--

Laura sat leaning against the desk, her eyes aching and her head still pounding hard. They had discussed the events that took place in the brig, and Bill still wasn't having much of it, but they had agreed to be slightly open-minded about Geoffrey and his ideas. He had also decided that he would let the man look at the book, just to see if he was any better at finding answers. They couldn't do anything but try.

Bill sat across from Laura, the book in his hand and his nose close to the pages. They had been reading through Day 23 for a long time now, trying to decipher what it all meant. Laura hadn't really inputted much, her hands still resting against her face, shielding her eyes from the light.

"Day 23 would bring about the beginnings of the end for the male leader. Aggression and misdirection would overcome him. A path that was followed will crumble." Bill looked up from the paper and wrote it down on his time-line. "This means it is meant to happen today."

"What is?" Laura mumbled, pulling her hands away from her face, her red eyes looking over to him.

"Whatever is going to happen to me. It will happen today."

Laura's eyes grew wide and she pulled the pages from him. "Aggression and misguiding-"

"Misdirection," Bill corrected, circling the quote on the page.

"Misdirection would overcome him? That doesn't sound too good. Does this mean you're going somewhere?"

Bill watched as her eyes closed, her hand going over her eyes again. She was certainly finding it hard to concentrate, one of the many side-affects of insomnia. "No, misdirection doesn't mean I'm going anywhere. I think that it means that I'm going to lose my path…Laura, have you tried resting at all?"

Laura nodded her head slowly. "Nothing helps. Bill…I think that you should stay here today. I mean, if it's going to happen then it won't happen in here will it?"

"You don't know that."

"It might minimise the risk?"

"I'm going with you to the meeting. Starbuck and I will be accompanying you to meet the Quorum. I've always said that the representative to Sagittaron was a bit shifty." Bill read the page again, looking for anymore clues.

Laura did not find his comment amusing at all, she glared at him briefly. "I think that you should stay."

"I'm not staying. I have to make sure that nothing happens to you."

"And you call me stubborn," she whispered, resting her head on the desk.

"Nobody is as stubborn as you are," he mumbled, leaning back in his chair, his stomach knotting at the thought that something bad was going to happen to him today. Something that might be the end of him. Selfishness was not something that Bill was good at doing, his heart and mind were on Laura and her situation, if he were not to go, she would be an open target and he would not permit that at all. She was his top priority at this moment.

--

The marine wandered down the corridor, the needle in his hand, hidden out of the way so nobody could see. Any moment now he would see the Admiral and the President walking to a meeting. He had to get this done otherwise it wouldn't run as smoothly as it should and he would have to come back and try again later, when it would be much harder.

The Admiral came around the corner, the President at his side, her face pale with dark bags under her eyes. So, that aspect of the plan was really coming together. She looked frail and ill and he was sure that it was only a matter of days, as predicted, until she was no more.

"Go long," someone shouted from behind him and he turned to see one of the viper pilots holding a ball in his hand, getting ready to throw it. The marine started running, his hands open and a smile on his face. How very convenient.

The ball shot through the air, and the marine had to run fast to make sure he was able to catch it. As soon as the ball began its descent he jumped, getting ready to catch it. When the ball was firmly in his grasp he felt his body collide with another, the needle sinking into the skin of whoever it was. When he turned he could see the Admiral glaring at him. "Oh, Gods, I'm so sorry, sir," he gulped, getting up and stepping back.

"You need to tone it down," Bill snarled, lifting him up by his collar. "This is not a playground! You do not go around acting like frakking idiots. I should discipline you for that."

The marine gulped, turning to the viper pilot who had began walking the other way. "I'm really sorry, sir. Are you ok? I really didn't mean anything by it!"

Bill rubbed his arm. "No, I'm fine. Shouldn't you be somewhere?"

"I'm not on rotation."

"Get out of my sight." Bill rubbed his arm again and turned to Laura. "You would have thought this was a holiday camp."

Laura smirked slightly before linking her arm with his. "I hope this meeting doesn't drag. My head feels like it's going to explode."


	9. The Ever Pressing Decision

**Chapter 9- The Ever Pressing Decision.**

Bill watched carefully as the Quorum members sat themselves down on the various chairs around the small meeting room. Their faces blank, completely unaware of what they were putting Laura through, oblivious to the situation and the mess which was going on throughout the fleet. Yes, they knew about the explosions, which might be why they were here now, but they didn't know the dark work which was going on behind it.

Laura said her hello's, shaking their hands and smiling politely whilst maintaining eye contact with each and every single one of them. She was good at her job, but there would be a cost from this meeting. When she sat down next to him, Bill caught her eye and they stared at each other for a brief moment, understanding what the other was thinking. Laura didn't want to be here, but it was her job and that came above all else. Bill didn't want her being there either, but knew that he couldn't argue with her. What pained him the most was what she was feeling now and was probably going to endure throughout this meeting. She was in pain. It was a bad headache, he could tell by the way she kept avoiding the light and the brightness of the paper in front of her. Although, even in the beginning, Bill could tell that the lack of sleep was affecting her, it was so much more prominent now. Her eyes, her lovely green eyes, were surrounded by red, the area around her eyes was puffy and dark. This meeting was going to cost her more then he believed she had anticipated. The Quorum meetings were usually tiresome, but the energy required to maintain the constant bombardment from the 12 members was necessarily high. With the headache she had, the lack of sleep she had been having and, no doubt, the worry and pain she was holding in was going to make it that much more difficult.

When she caught him staring she looked away, watching as Starbuck entered the room, a package in her hand. After making eye contact, Laura put her hand briefly over her eyes as she gazed down at the bright white paper on her lap.

Bill rubbed his arm gently as he felt it throb under the thick material of this jacket. It had annoyed him greatly that the marine had barged into him like that, it just wasn't acceptable. There was a rec room for silly games like that, the corridors were not a place for ball games.

"Madam President, so nice of you to agree to have this meeting with us," a tall woman with thick blonde hair said, sifting through the papers on her lap. "I'm afraid we have a lot to talk about."

Laura grimaced slightly, peering up at the woman, a forced smile setting on her features. "Well, I hope none of it is too serious."

"Well, the topics are not good. We felt that we needed to get on top of all of the pressing matters of the fleet."

"Of course," Laura said, smiling into the distance as she peered over the tops of their heads. "Where shall we begin?"

"It has come to our attention, Madam President, that supplies are becoming more and more scarce among the three smaller liners. I've been told by the Captains of these vessels that issues have been raised, but nothing has come of it. I think that it is highly unacceptable that these three ships should be suffering the way they are." She looked around the room at all of the nodding heads and handed Laura a piece of paper. "It says there that the transmissions were received, yet the goods have not been sent!"

Laura gazed wearily down at the piece of paper and read over the lists and numbers. It was true, the goods hadn't arrived. "Admiral Adama, it seems as if these goods were requested from Galactica itself. Do you know anything about it?"

Bill caught her eyes briefly and then looked down at the piece of paper. "There are authorisation codes here." He looked at the number. "They have either been acknowledged by myself or the C/O, this means they have indeed left the ship."

"Well, where are the goods then? If you don't mind me asking," the woman said coldly, taking the piece of paper from him.

"I will investigate that matter and get back to you later. But it will be fixed, you have my word on that."

The woman gazed at him and said no more; they very rarely ever questioned him after making a statement like that. They knew who he was and what he was capable of, it just stood to reason that they shouldn't push him. The dark haired gentleman from Tauron twitched as he picked up his papers. "Well, Madam President, with regards to the explosions that took place, and the now overcrowded capacity of the ships where the occupants of the Carina were sent to, we need to know it will be acceptable for them to return to their vessel. The living constraints and the overall living conditions are now poor. We need to see some sort of movement or there will be rioting." He smiled politely and passed her another piece of paper.

Laura nodded, a barely audible sigh crossing her lips as she gazed down at another brilliant white piece of paper. Bill watched as she recoiled, her eyes closing briefly before opening and gazing down again. "We know that repairs have started and I suspect that it shouldn't be too long. Will you let the passengers know?"

"Know what, Madam President?"

Laura continued to gaze at the paper, trying to recollect her thoughts. "Oh, umm, just let them know what we are doing the best we can and we will have the ship ready as soon as possible."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"We're still waiting for your report, too, Madam President." The woman closest to her opened her briefcase and pulled out a book-like mass of paper.

"Report?" Laura said worriedly, putting down the paper in her hand.

"Yes, the one that we are having trouble collecting the data for." Bill grumbled, eyeing the woman. "If I remember correctly, it was requested that there be a reshuffle of the passengers of various ships to maximise space and efficiency. Also, if I recall correctly, that was put to the bottom of the agenda. There are far more important things going on at the moment, as you will probably understand. We have an issue with terrorism and I can't justify the movement of people. This report will wait until further notice. It will wait until I am satisfied that we have a hold on what is going on."

The woman's face turned red and she put her papers on the desk. "It was arranged that the data would be ready for the next meeting."

"There will not be any movement within this fleet until I'm satisfied it is secure. If any one of these people gets on board another ship, do you want to be there when they try blow that one up?" Bill said angrily, leaning forward in his chair.

"No."

"Exactly."

Laura watched Bill gratefully as he leaned back. She lifted up her glass of water and took a few sips before readjusting herself. "What else?" Papers began shuffling and Laura rolled her eyes, realising she was in for a long day.

--

With the meeting finished and her head thumping at a completely unbearable level, Laura could not wait to get back to Bill's quarters. She knew that it might not go away and it might be with her for another few hours, but at least she would be out of the way of the Quorum members. As passionate as they were about the cause, they were annoying and always extended things to the breaking point. Laura felt like she was about to fall apart.

Kara walked up beside her, Bill on the other. As she entered the corridor, she paused, closing her eyes and steadying herself. The light was torture. She squinted through the lenses of her glasses and continued to plough forward.

"Madam President?" Kara said, holding the package up. "I got something for you. Took me most of last night to sort out, but I figured it'd do you some good."

Laura nodded her head slowly and gave Kara a faint smile, continuing to look forward as she felt her head thump and her eyes pound. It was slowly progressing into a migraine if she knew well enough. This was not good.

"I think it best if you take a lie down when you get back," Bill mumbled quietly, walking beside her and keeping up with her quick pace. "You've gone all pale."

Laura ran her fingers over her forehead, keeping her feet moving as fast as she could. She just wanted to lock herself away, turn the lights off and cry, do something to try and stop the pain.

Bill's quarters came into view and she moved as fast as she could. Bill opened the hatch and Kara walked in first, giving it the once over before letting Laura in. As soon as she crossed the threshold, she turned the lights down and walked over to the couch, slumping onto it.

"I'll leave this here for you, Ma'am. Just let me know if they fit ok." Kara saluted and exited the Admiral's quarters, sensing that the President wanted to be alone.

Bill looked at the package, totally unsure about what it could be. Why would Starbuck be getting Laura something to wear? Then he sat down next to Laura, who had her face scrunched up. "You ok?"

Laura shook her head and grimaced, folding her arm over her eyes. She'd had very few migraines in her life, but each time she had managed to get a grip on it. Pain medication was a Gods send, and it did the job. With a little sleep it would go away. What does a person do if they can't get chemical relief or sleep? The answer: grit through it.

Bill stood up. "Do you want me to get Cottle?"

Laura shook her head slightly, leaning back into the couch, lifting her legs up and lying down on her side. "He won't be able to do anything," she whispered. "I can't have pain meds. There is nothing for him to do."

Bill sighed, kneeling down on the floor so that he was eyelevel with her. "Laura, you know there is an option. Cottle gave you one."

Laura moved her arm, peeking out at him from the shield of darkness she had made with her arm. "I'm not letting him put me under like that. It might not work anyway. People need me here, Bill."

Bill shook his head before standing up and walking over to the water jug. He pulled out the biggest glass he could find and filled it up. He placed this onto the table in front of her. "You need to drink plenty of fluids." Bill paused as she rolled over to look away from him, grabbing one of the large brown cushions and wrapping her arms around it. "How about you go lie down in my rack?"

"I don't want to move. I'll be fine." She turned her head a little so she could see. "Will you be going anywhere?"

Bill looked at the clock. Tigh had told him that he would watch the fleet for as long as he needed, spending most of his time in the CIC until he needed to rest then Gaeta would take over. It wasn't the best solution and Bill was going to do as much as he could. Maybe he could relieve him later? "I'm not going anywhere yet. I might have to later. I think I'm going to do some more reading and see what I can find."

"Ok," Laura whispered, rolling back over and burying her face into the cushion, pulling her legs up close to her body.

Bill heard her sigh and he shook his head. How was he to know that this wasn't something to do with the drug in her system? He couldn't help but worry because of the nature of her condition. Although it remained uncertain about how hard it would hit her at the end, he knew that without any intervention it would arrive and take her from him. Something would come for him too, but as much as he wanted to survive, he could sense deep inside himself that the need for her to survive was far greater. He was a man of fact, a man of truth, but sometimes Bill couldn't help wonder if sometimes the scrolls held some element of truth. Was it Laura that was altering his perceptions? Or the uncertain times he found himself in? Either way, he knew that he must try and protect her more than himself. She was important, not only to him, but to the whole human race.

--

The light inside his quarters was dim, but Bill could still make out the writing beneath him because of the small lamp he was seated by. The light wasn't too bright, but the orange rays were dancing on the paper letting him sit and ponder over the implicitness of the text. Why couldn't something like this be obvious? Why couldn't it be efficient at directing its words? A frustrated grumble passed his lips as he began another relentless reread of the page beneath him, his patience dwindling every time he had to re-evaluate the page.

After contemplating over another seemingly unobvious sentence with a number of different meanings, he glanced over to the form curled up on his couch. Laura's slim fragile body lay quietly along the brown leather surface, her shallow breathing resonating around his room, reminding him constantly that she was still there and very much in pain. Migraines were frustrating, painful and a hindrance to anybody. What made the situation worse for him was the lack of means to do anything. Completely useless against something so minute, something so easily fixed with the right medication. Unfortunately, no matter what he thought he could do he knew he couldn't, all he could do was sit and watch, trying to find anything that could help either of them.

Laura moved slightly, adjusting herself, the light from his lamp shining across her face, the pale pallor of her skin and the dark bags under her eyes were the main signs of her situation. She slowly scrunched up her face, her hand moving to her forehead where it rested just above her brow, her fingers pressing down on her eyelids. His gaze lingered long enough to see her mouth 'frak' and adjust her position again, turning her back on him.

The glass in front of him was filled with chilled water, and he took a few sips before turning back to the book and the paragraph which had plagued him the most, the meanings were in the masses and he wasn't sure if he would be able to wrap his mind around it, having failed to think of anything straight away.

_"An uncertain connection lingers in the air between two souls. Uncertain about the direction and uncertain about the truths. Their similar interests keep them in line. Like a caged angel, one will break free and make their way to the side in which they were destined."_

To Bill, there were so many uncertain possibilities that could come from such an obscure paragraph. When he thought about it, the idea of 'two souls' could ultimately make it many different people and even if he were to narrow it down, there were still more than a handful. If 'similar interests,' were to play a part in deciding the identity of the pair, there would still be a handful. It was decidedly difficult. But, ultimately, the line which had plagued him more than any other was this idea of an angel breaking free. If, as he had first thought, the pair to be himself and Laura, then was the angel that was to break free her? Would she take a dramatic turn? His eyes slid to her curled form and his stomach knotted with worry. The only way he could possibly get to the bottom was to plough on and evaluate this whole book, add to the timeline and try his damned hardest to make sure she was going to be ok.

As time progressed Bill couldn't help but evaluate his own situation. Although they were both in a mess; like rivers, they would eventually merge, but until then they were rivers running parallel to each other, their courses twisting and moving away and towards each other in a vast array of plot lines. Since Laura had figured out that he would be targeted, he had not sat down and considered everything. All of his energy had been put towards Laura and her campaign for life.

The pages beneath him were not offering any consolation or comfort, but they weren't giving him any insight into what was going to happen to him either. It was incredibly frustrating. All he knew really was that "aggression and misdirection would overcome him." It made him dread what was coming in a way that he had never thought of before. If misdirection was on the cards, how did he know that he was going to be misguided from his mission to keep Laura safe? What if something happened that would make him divert from that? And aggression? Well, that in itself was a hard thing to comprehend. As a few days earlier when he has lost his temper he had felt a rage burn within him. Coming to terms with the idea that aggression might become hideously apparent made him worry for himself and people around him.

Today would be his downfall, apparently, but he could not hope that this book was pure and utter coincidence. As a skeptical man, he knew that things happened by chance and that they were never really as simple as they could be planned. Although accurate- scarily accurate- there was still a side to him that thought it could change. What if Laura was right- it was just something to overcome?

As well as beginning to think about what was going on with him, he suddenly felt daunted by what Laura might be going through. He had only really touched the tip of the iceberg as he contemplated his situation, and it worried him. Laura, however, had been dealt a pitiful hand and was trying her hardest to get through it. Before, he could only speculate and try and understand what she was going through, but now, from reading this he could understand slowly what she was trying to overcome, everything he had heard her talk about. The uncertain gazes, frustrated sighs, the moments when her eyes told him she was scared and the overwhelming fear he knew she must feel. Even more frightening, it was making more sense. Bill looked over to her, watching the way she had her arms wrapped around the cushion and her face slanted at an angle, her forehead creased. They were both in a similar boat, but he would do anything at that moment to take it all away from her. He couldn't bare seeing this taking hold of her more and more each day.

--

Laura had felt the pain in her head slowly begin to lessen. The pressure behind her eyes and the pain in her head were now slightly more bearable. She blinked, and rolled over, slowly letting her eyes focus on the objects in the distance, small coloured dots dancing around. When her eyes began to focus she could make out Bill's hunched figure, who was reading the book , a pen in his hand and a deep look of concentration etched across his face. That man was a fighter and as far as she could tell, was doing everything he could with regards to the book to help her. It made her feel warm inside because of the devotion he was showing her, but at the same time it increased her worry. If he was going over everything for her, when would he stop and try and help himself? She wanted him to stay out of harm's way, the book telling them that something would happen to him today, yet he was still persistent in the quest for her.

Laura wrapped her arms around the cushion, tightening her grip on it, lying her head on the warm brown surface, continuing to gaze at Bill as he worked, watching as he absentmindedly scratched his arm and scrunched up his face as he read.. She was tired, and not just in a physical sense anymore. Her brain and it's usual alertness was low, her mind tired and fuzzy. The concentration she used to have was dwindling, her brain finding it hard to concentrate on the simplest things. Her body was now turning against her, the tiredness of her muscles turning into aches. When she looked around she could feel her eyes burn slightly from their lack of rest that was brought about by sleep. She sighed lightly and hooked her legs up further to her body, a chill running down her side, she readjusted her skirt.

When her eyes lifted back up to Bill she caught his gaze. He looked over his glasses and his lips twitched into a small smile. "Hi."

Laura sat up and brought her legs around so her feet were back on the floor. "Hi."

Bill put the book down at put both of his hands down on the desk, eyeing her carefully, watching as she took a sip of water. "You feeling any better?"

Laura nodded, getting up and moving over to this desk, sitting down in front of him. "A little, yes."

Bill nodded. "That's good then," he said, scratching his arm again and taking another sip of water.

"It is." She watched Bill carefully, having noted that he had scratched his arm once before, and although it could be anything, he didn't seem happy about it when he rubbed the area. "What's wrong with your arm?" Laura said worriedly, peering at him as he scratched it again. She couldn't help but worry, they both knew that something was going to happen today and it made her fear for him.

Bill could feel the itch on his arm heighten and it made his skin crawl. All he wanted to do was scratch it and scratch it, to feel the relief as his hands rubbed the area. "Oh, I just have an itch that won't go away, you know how it is sometimes." He looked back down at the book and turned the page over, sighing as he read yet another cryptic sentence. "These words are so…cryptic, I just don't-"

"Bill, take your jacket off," Laura said, peering at the area on his arm, his hands rubbing it again. She stood slowly and moved around to his side of the desk.

Bill looked at her, completely puzzled by her sudden actions. "Excuse me?"

Laura's hands reached down and began undoing his top button. She could see the bewildered look in his eyes, but she had to do it just so she could see if anything was wrong. You could never be to careful, not at the moment at least. Even the most subtle things could turn out to be something bad, as she had found out for herself. "Bill, I want you to take off your jacket for me."

Bill didn't know what to think. Why would she want to undress him? A sudden thought dawned on him and he reached for her hand. "We can't."

"Oh Bill, I'm not trying to strip you down for reasons like that!" She pulled her hand out of his and began undoing the next button. "I want to see your arm."

Bill moved out of her way. "Why?"

Laura rolled her eyes and folded her arms. "I want to see it because you keep scratching it! It could be something we need to see. So, come on, get it off."

Bill began to undo his buttons, watching as she tapped her foot impatiently. When the jacket came away from his body he felt Laura's hand wrap around his arm, looking at it carefully through the lenses of her glasses.

Laura ran her fingers over the surface, the area slightly purple where a bruise was forming. But, right in the middle was a small puncture mark, barely visible but most definitely there. She rested her hand on the desk and brought her other to her mouth. "Oh, Bill."

Bill could see the worry fill her eyes along with the tears. "What?"

Laura felt sick, it had already happened. Someone had got to him and uncertainty would wash over him like it had to her. What if it was something worse then what she was going through? What if it was something quicker? Worry, sadness and a horrible sense of guilt washed over her as she looked down at his arm. She should have forced him to stay in, or she should have not gone to the meeting. "You need to see Cottle," she mumbled, taking his hand and pulling him to his feet.

"Why? I don't understand." Bill said, alarmed by her expression.

"Look at your arm, Bill. Look," she pointed to the puncture mark. "Can you see it? Right there. They got you."

Bill's face dropped and he shook his head. "But how?"

Laura shrugged and picked up his jacket. "Come on, I'm taking you to see Cottle." And, alarmingly enough, Bill Adama did not complain, he got to his feet and walked with her to the hatch, his face blank.

--

_"Who was that on the phone, honey?" She said, slipping her hand around his waist as he put the phone back on the side._

_"The lab. They want me to drop off some of my formula sheets so they can run through the preliminaries." He took her hand in his. "I don't want to go though."_

_She smiled, her bright white teeth flashing as she moved forward and placed herself in front of him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Formula sheets?"_

_He smiled, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "You know I can't talk about them. The government isn't all for letting out their little secrets."_

_She ran her fingers down the side of his face gently, then mumbling, "are you going to go now?"_

_"No. I figured I'd drop them over later, after taking you out to dinner." Her face lit up and she kissed him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck._

_"You're the best."_

What he couldn't bear about the relationship that he had had with her was the fact  
that, to him, it was perfect. He'd never thought that anything was wrong between them. She was always happy, and he was always happy because of her. It was simple, wonderful, perfect and when she had gone he had felt his heart crack into two. Time was meant to heal the wound he had received, but it hadn't, it had only fuelled the passion inside him to get her back, to find her and make her his again.

--

"Oh for Frak sake," Cottle yelled, pushing his way out of the curtain towards the Admiral and the President. "You mean to tell me, I have to worry about the two of you now?"

Bill side glanced to Laura who was stood, her hands clasped tightly together and her lips set in a thin line. "We don't know," Bill grumbled. "That's why we're here. My blood work has been clean, so hopefully you can check it again."

Cottle walked off into the distance so Laura and Bill followed. "Sit," Cottle mumbled, his cigarette stuck in his mouth. "Show me."

Bill pulled his jacket off and moved his arm forward, the skin had turned a deep purple, the bruise deepening in colour. Cottle leaned forward and peered at the area, the small puncture hole hiding amongst the sea of purple. "That is definitely a needle mark. I take it you know nothing?"

Bill shook his head, staring miserably at the white cotton sheets around him suddenly becoming increasingly aware that he may be in here more often now, if things were to take a dramatic downfall with himself or Laura. He felt fine, nothing felt wrong…maybe it didn't in the beginning.

Laura peered down at him, her heart in her throat. It was almost as if he'd gone numb, nothing passing his lips, nothing being reflected. Just nothing. He was gazing down at the sheets, his face blank and empty. A strong façade to take on the day, she had thought, but she wouldn't have it, not from him. She felt a huge sense of responsibility towards Bill, towards his work and the way he was. He had been there, at the beginning, forcing her to come to terms with what was happening, helping her, holding her and making it known he would be there. Not in a million years would she toss that aside to let him plough forward alone. As stubborn as he was, and as strong willed, keeping his feelings as locked down as tight as he could, she wouldn't let them simmer. They would both rise to the situation, taking it head on, fighting for their right to survive.

"Well," Cottle mumbled, taking another glance at his arm. "The needle alone wouldn't have caused such bruising. You been fighting or something?"

Bill shook his head, peering down at the bruise himself, his forearm purple in comparison to his olive coloured skin. "I don't know how I got it."

Laura looked at it, the area where it was and it suddenly dawned on her, making her breath catch in her throat. It was so obvious! "Bill," she whispered, taking hold of the bed and closing her eyes. "Bill, do you not remember? That man, he knocked into you earlier. You took a heavy bash to your side…you arm."

Bill peered at her face, watching as she opened her eyes, alarm and worry sitting in the deep pools of green. Pity washed over her face, making him close his eyes in retort. "The idiot," he mumbled, grabbing his jacket. A sickly feeling rose in his stomach, anger bubbling beneath it. He had been fooled and attacked by his own officer. Someone who had worked with him for a long time.

When Bill raised his eyes to Laura she noticed at once the sudden change in his features. They were dark and deep, his eyes had turned cold and the area around them had narrowed. He began putting his other arm into his jacket, his lips pulled tight and his jaw clenched to an alarming point so that it stuck out. "Take the blood sample," he mumbled angrily through his clenched jaw.

Cottle shook his head. "You aren't going anywhere."

Bill's head turned at lightning speed, his dark glare washing over Cottle like a rash. "Take it."

Laura put her hand on his shoulder and he pulled himself away. "I'm getting Starbuck down here, I have something to take care of. I know who it was and I am not frakking staying here letting the bastard do whatever the frak he wants," Bill said, his voice dragging out in a hard aggressive mumble.

Laura, put her arm back down and looked to Cottle who was looking concerned, his cigarette sitting at his side. "I'm coming with you," she said quietly.

"No you're not."

"I know you're going to go. You want me to wait here for Starbuck to arrive? You want to me to wait? Here? Alone?" She folded her arms and shook her head. "You told me that it was called shadowing, I would be your shadow as you were to mine. Don't you dare frakking think that you are going to leave me here. Impatience isn't a good thing, and there you are, ready to jump the gun when you don't know what is going to happen to you! You want to leave here like a raging bull. I can see it in your eyes. What good will it accomplish? What good? At least think about it!"

Bill didn't look at her, he watched as Cottle pulled out a needle and scurried around to find a vial. "Listen to me. If I wait here, knowing full well who it is, he might get away. Then what do we have? WHAT? It all comes down to how we act, Laura, and I am not sitting here being poked and prodded in an attempt to find out if there is anything wrong. The blood will tell, but I'm not waiting to find out." He watched as the needle went in and he sat fidgeting, waiting to get up and leave.

"What if you just keel over? What if something happens and you just-"

"Sometimes you have to take chances."

"Chances, hah. What's more important then life, Bill?" She turned her back to him and exited the curtain, tears stinging at her eyes.

Bill shook his head, pulling on his jacket and standing up, doing the buttons up quickly. "I'll be back later."

Cottle nodded his head. "I don't know what it is about you two, but the pair of you are ridiculously stubborn to see and embrace the obvious."

Bill gave him a side-glance before exiting the curtain. He watched as Laura stood back, wiping her eyes, her back turned to him. He shook his head and looked at the time, shift rotation would be starting now and he would have to move to catch this man. "If you're coming with me then you're coming with me. Stay by my side. We're going to the CIC."

--

The marine opened the hatch quickly, stepping inside and standing tall, his gun in his hand and a hard look on his face. "I'm here to relieve you, orders from the C/O."

The man who had been guarding the prisoners cell, eyed him up suspiciously, uncertainty washing over him as he had been unaware of shift changes taking place now. As far as he had been aware he wasn't on the regular change. "I only take orders from the Admiral or the President. I'm not leaving until I get confirmation from either of them." He pulled his gun up and pointed it at the marine, eyeing up the door. "So, go and get confirmation otherwise you aren't stepping foot in here at all."

Geoffrey watched avidly from behind his bars, noticing the tension. He peered forwards, seeing someone familiar standing by the door. He knew that man, and what came with him was not good. "You," he said loud enough for the guard to hear.

As the guard looked to Geoffrey, seeing the recognition in the prisoners eyes, he missed the swooping hand of the marine, who knocked him hard on the head, sending him to the floor.

"You know what you need to do," the marine said, pulling the gun out of the guards hand. "Come on, we're going back." He pulled out the keys and opened the door, letting him out.

Geoffrey stepped outside of the cell door and peered down at the unconscious man on the floor, his stomach knotting and his head spinning with possibilities. It didn't feel right to him. He didn't feel as if he was meant to go anywhere yet.

"You know what to do, he said you would." The marine began undressing the guard on the floor. "You might want to step into these. They might be a bit tight, but he's a similar build."

Geoffrey walked over to the clothes and began picking them up off of the floor, sliding his big frame into each of the items. The marine, who he had seen before was waiting patiently for him, standing by the hatch with his gun in his hand. Geoffrey felt himself move forward quickly, taking the gun out of his hand and slamming his fist into his face. Blood splattered from his broken nose, and he fell to the floor, knocked out cold. He didn't know why, but Geoffrey knew he had to find the President. This would be the ultimate showdown of faith and the side in which he must choose. Although he pretty much knew what he was going to do, he couldn't help but wonder if other things would become apparent before then and swing him in the other direction.

--

Bill entered the CIC, the familiar lights washing over him as he made his way down to the centre. Tigh looked up as he walked down, Laura at his side. "Do you have the sheets for shift rotations?"

Tigh stared for a few moments, slightly alarmed at the sudden presence of both the Admiral and President, their faces showing him that something was amiss. "They'll be here somewhere. Mr Gaeta?"

Gaeta walked over to his terminal and fished through the massive pile of papers that had built up there. "These were submitted the other day, sir."

Bill pulled it from his hand and put it on the light console, peering down at the list. It was good that Bill knew the names of pretty much all of his crew. Jones was who he was looking for, after thinking about it on the way he had recognised the young man's face. The man had been assigned to his ship a few weeks before the attack, having been moved from his previous ship due to a decrease in work force. He was young and passionate about the cause, but now, Bill was having second thoughts entirely. "Get Starbuck down here now," Bill yelled to Dee who was stood observing from her area, her headphones hanging around her neck.

Laura watched as Bill flipped through pages and pages of names, trying to find the man who had done this to him. The lights from the light table were washing over his face and she could see the anger on his face. It was a very unusual sight for her, as he had very rarely shown her that side of him, having kept himself to himself on most days. It wasn't nice to see his face scrunched up and his eyes boring angry holes into the paper.

Bill's eyes fell upon the name and he looked up to Tigh. "Jones, he's doing supply runs?"

Tigh nodded. "Yes."

Bill looked at Laura. It all began making sense, falling into place like a penny in the slot. The supplies that hadn't been making it to their vessels, and here was the evidence that Jones was very much a key in this unravelling plot. It had been him all along. One of his own men! "What time is his first run?"

Tigh looked down at his piece of paper, glancing over it and then looking at the dradis console. "Well, I sent him down to the brig to hand the guard the rotation schedule, so he might still be down there."

Laura stepped forward. "The brig?"

Tigh nodded, bewildered by the sudden bombardment of questions. "Yes, the brig. What's going on?"

Bill curled up his fist and shook his head. "I'll tell you later. Madam President, when Starbuck gets here I want you and her to go back to my quarters. I'm going to go down to the brig and deal with this."

On cue, Starbuck walked down into CIC very quickly, her face puzzled. "You rang?" she said, walking to the side of Laura.

"Starbuck, take the President back to my quarters right away. Do not let her leave your sight." Bill turned to Tigh and nodded his head. "I don't want any raptors leaving this ship!"

Laura looked worried and Starbuck stood next to her. "What's going on, Ma'am?"

"I'll tell you when we get to the Admiral's quarters. Lets go." Laura took one last look at Bill, his face crumpled, their gaze meeting briefly before she walked up the steps and out of the CIC, Starbuck right on her heels.

--

Bill walked into the brig, four marines right behind him, his glasses resting on his face. On the floor lay Jones, his uniform covered in drying blood, his nose dripping slightly, the red fluid dribbling down his chin. Behind him lay the guard, his uniform gone, his body limp. When Bill gazed around the room it became obvious that the prisoner was no longer around. He moved over to the phone and picked it up.

"Get me Colonel Tigh," he yelled, peering around the room. "Sound the alarms, we have an escaped prisoner. You know what he looks like, get the description around. I want him found!"

High above him an alarm started to ring, the red lights flashed above, lighting the room every few minutes. Bill bent down, his heart beating angrily in his chest and picked up Jones from the floor, pushing him against one of the solid bulkheads.

Jones, who had been unconscious opened his eyes groggily before coughing and yelping in pain, trying to lift his hands to his nose. "Oh, sir, the prisoner…argh…he escaped. Got the both of us."

Bill narrowed his eyes and pushed him hard against the bulkhead again. "I find that very hard to believe," he growled. "You're under arrest." He turned to the marines. "Put him in the brig and get the medics down here to see to him," he said pointing to the half naked and unconscious guard on the floor.

--

The alarm started blaring and the lights started flashing, shocking Laura as she walked down an empty corridor. "What does that mean?" she said worriedly, slowing herself down and looking up to the ceiling.

Starbuck reached for her gun and took hold of the President's arm. "We have an escaped prisoner. We need to get you to the Admiral's quarters right away."

"Geoffrey," Laura mumbled, walking quickly as she felt Starbuck push her from behind. Bill had gotten to the brig, had there been a conflict? Had he been hurt? Laura's heart started racing and she could feel her face flush with the thought of Bill getting hurt.

--

Geoffrey paused, the whole corridor coming alive with bright red lights and a deep ringing noise. It didn't sound good. He pulled the gun close to his chest and carried on walking, hoping to find his destination soon. Deep down he knew that he had to get to the Admiral's quarters, his instincts telling him that would be where the President would eventually be.

After a few more moments of walking he came to a long corridor, a hatch situated on the right side, guards waiting outside. Geoffrey gulped, racking his mind, trying to figure out how to get them out of the way. It was horrible when he had to go on a hunch, you never knew how it was going to play out.

"We have a situation," Geoffrey yelled, keeping most of his face covered as he ran. "A prisoner has escaped, we need to you to go and check down here. The Admiral wants all of the vents and unused rooms checked."

The marines looked at each other, and then to the flashing lights. They nodded their heads, gazing at him briefly before setting off on a jog.

Geoffrey smiled, satisfied with his lie. He pulled open the hatch, looked down the corridor and then entered, turning the lights off hiding away until she arrived.

--

Tigh looked up at the dradis, watching as a raptor moved away from the Galactica, it's transponder flashing awkwardly before disappearing off of the radar. He growled angrily, knowing that the Admiral was not going to be pleased. The prisoner must have been on that ship, that raptor being the one due to make the run out for the ambrosia later that evening.

"Frak," he yelled, slamming his hand down on the dradis console. "Get me the Chief!"

--

Laura and Starbuck came tumbling down the corridor, walking speedily towards Bill's quarters. Starbuck was not happy, she didn't like the whole situation, her instincts telling her that something was going to happen. She tightened her grip on her gun, watching all around her as the alarm carried on ringing.

"Once we get inside I'm going to lock the door. We're not moving until I hear from the Admiral."

"That's fine," Laura spluttered, trying to catch her breath, the muscles in her legs protesting with every step she made in her heels.

Starbuck grabbed hold of the hatch and swung it open, walking inside. The lights were off, that wasn't a good sign. "Step back," she whispered to Laura, sensing something really was not right.

A strong arm grabbed hold of Starbuck, knocking the gun out of her hand and sending her to the floor. The hatch came to a close behind them, the sound of it locking as both of them peered around at the darkness.

Laura panicked and tried to run out of the way, but failed, only colliding with the body of Starbuck who was trying to get up off of the floor. Both of them cursed, trying to untangle themselves from the heap on the floor.

The lights came on, making both of them recoil before peering up at their attacker.

"Geoffrey," Laura whispered, looking up at the monstrous man.

"I've been thinking, and I'm not sure where I stand at this moment. But…I'm here to choose my side," he said calmly, holding the gun tightly against his chest.


End file.
